The running back position was one that carried a lot of uncertainty for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers going into the 2017 offseason. One thing was not uncertain, however, and that was the team’s desire to retain their most effective back from last season, Jacquizz Rodgers, in some form.
According to Jason La Canfora, the two parties have come to an agreement, and the contract Rodgers will sign this time around is for two years, $3.3mil as a base with an extra one million in incentives. $600k of the deal is guaranteed. PewterReport.com has confirmed these numbers. It’s the first multi-year contract Rodgers has signed since his rookie deal back in 2011.
Rodgers, who was signed by Tampa Bay back in September of 2016 following Week 1, ended up leading the team in rushing for the 2016 season as a fill-in for Doug Martin and Charles Sims. Rodgers led the team in rushing yards (560), had the longest run of the season (45 yards), averaged the highest YPC (4.3) and scored two touchdowns.
Rodgers certainly proved he deserved to be back on this team in some capacity with his consistency and willingness to pick up the slack wherever it was, and Jason Licht and the rest of the front office rewarded him for that.
The team is likely to still draft a running back at some point in the upcoming draft. How soon they do that will all depend on how things shake out with Doug Martin.
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About the Author: Trevor Sikkema
Great news! Now draft Christian McCaffery in the first round! He is a better version of Reggie Bush! Explosive, quick, great hands, great returner on kicks or punts, great bloodlines, and most importantly, he has a tremendous work ethic! He is worthy of the pick!
Please let that happen. Man the toys J.W. would have.
McCaffery or OJ Howard.
OJ will be gone by pick #19
You do realize in the grand scheme of things Reggie would be some where between mediocre and a bust. Took him 6 seasons to get is first 1000 yard game. Lifetime rushing yards per game of just 41. Even adding in the Receiving Yards it is still just 67.9.
Last season, he set the record for being the only RB in history with negative rushing yards with 10+ carries.
Haha yeah , that’s a bad comparison. Reggie Bush is the definition of a bust. And while I think McCafferey will be better than him, especially if he goes to NE, but I just don’t see the MCcafferey hype. Id rather take OJ or another receiver at 19 if given the opportunity.
This is excellent news. Go Bucs!
An excellent move by the Bucs!
Slightly overpaid but much better contract than what the Pewter Report Writers wanted to give him.
If the Bucs draft Joe Mixon, Jacquizz will not make any of his incentives.
Draft needs are going to change as free agency progresses, but I am hoping we can get some help at the safety position before the draft so we don’t have to reach for one. RB, TE, and WR is very deep this year. If everyone from last year plays like they did in the second half of the year, and if a few of the FAs and draftees we get turn out to be studs, then we may finaly be able to make the playoffs.
Great news. Nice payday for Quizz. In today’s NFL 3.3 mil is a good singing.
McCdougal Shep. Conte. Spence Robinson.
Next. Bring em’ all in Jason.
GO BUCS
I lke it; gives us more options in Free Agency and the Draft. Go Bucs!
I think Quizz has been locked up for a while now, but because of an obscure CBA rule could not officially sign until March 9. Rodgers couldn’t be re-signed until he hit free agency (today) because he signed a Minimum Salary Benefit deal, which is a one-year contract, with the Buccaneers in 2016. That’s a technical rule in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Tampa Bay wasn’t technically allowed to negotiate with Rodgers until March 7 like all outside free agents. Congrats to Quizz on his new contract. Not a huge breakaway threat, but a solid dependable guy that can be counted… Read more »
Quizzzzz! Great resign.
Congrats to Quizz, it’s good to have guy in the system that is productive., We’ll still draft a back, but who knows what round. If cook and some of the other big names are gone, I could easily see the Bucs trade back and pick up another second. 3 pick in the first 2 rounds would be very nice. If they trade back, I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see them go defense with their first pick.
No, cg .. you are really stuck on Cook or bust … I don’t think so.
I believe that Jason is far more likely to pick up one of the WRs – any of Davis, Ross, or Williams – or OJ at TE than to let one opf those three pass between his fingers.
Wait until a mid-round pick for a RB.
I want to see what Rodgers can do behind an improved o-line and safties playing off the LoS (due to djax and Evans).. I can see him being a gamebreaker.
I’ve always liked Jacquizz Rodgers from his days in Atlanta, but the youngster has already been cut twice for some reason. I hope this doesn’t turn out to be like Bobby Rainey who, as Gruden would say, “exploded onto the scene” in similar fashion and quickly faded. Without #32 our season would have been in real jeopardy. Glad he was able to cash-in.
I thought Quizz did a great job last season, nice agility and burst running behind a not great OL on an offense with no speed.
Next step is to draft a big back who can pound the rock and close out games. Asking RBs like Quizz to carry the ball 20+ times just exposes them to injury. For every job, the right tool!