Denver Broncos: 4 cheaper options who could replace Melvin Gordon

Ronald Jones

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have not completely closed the door on their former second-round pick, but they might as well. Leonard Fournette is on the field for nearly all of the team’s offensive snaps and that leaves Ronald Jones standing on the sideline rather often.

The Bucs didn’t originally use the No. 38 overall pick of the 2018 draft on Jones so that he could stand and watch, but Fournette has the trust of Tom Brady and the offense is much more dynamic when he is on the field.

But Jones is just 24 years old and could have a ton of good play left in him, making him the most interesting name on this list.

Jones rushed for 724 yards and six touchdowns in 2018 and 978 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. Those numbers have dipped tremendously this season, as Jones has just 274 yards on 63 carries this season.

The Bucs likely don’t see him as part of their future and may not even attempt to bring him back in 2022, making it easier for other teams to offer up their best deal.

If the Broncos could sign Jones to a deal that averaged out at about $3.9 million annually, as Spotrac suggests, that’s an idea worth considering.

Jones could have his career rejuvenated in Denver and he and Williams could become one of the league’s most potent rushing combinations for several years to come.