Last week we got a chance to hear from some of the Buccaneers assistant coaches for the first time since the 2017 season really came to a close and the swing of the 2018 season had officially begun.

One of the topics that Bucs offensive coordinator Todd Monken touched on was the situation around his team’s running back depth chart, specifically, whether or not the most efficient running back on the team in 2017, Peyton Barber, would get a vote of confidence from his staff to potentially be the starter going into 2018.

After drafting running back Ronald Jones II in the second round of this year’s draft, the team certainly isn’t just going to come out and say that Barber will be the starter getting the first handoff in Week 1 no matter what — they’re hoping that Jones not only pushes for that spot, but pushes Barber and the rest of the team, in turn, as well. However, though he wasn’t crowned No. 1 on the depth chart after that question, it’s clear that they believe Barber can set the tone for a drive when citing yards after contact like that.

Later in the day running backs coach Tim Spencer also touched on Barber as a player and what kind of impact he could have for the Buccaneers in 2018.

Barber finished the 2017 season with 423 rushing yards and a healthy 3.9 yards-per-carry average with three touchdowns in 2017. He also recorded the Bucs longest rushing touchdown of the season, but that was just at two yards. The Bucs want to see that number be much higher in 2018, and though Barber will have a place, they’re hoping he and Jones compliment each other well enough to not just take carries, but elevate each other’s game and the offense overall. Gettin dynamic was the goal going into last season, and the Bucs offense, especially the running game, did not do that. Don’t expect that motto to go away until they achieve it.

Though they drafted Jones decently high, they believe in Barber’s impact towards becoming a dynamic football team.