The former Kansas City Chief running back, Ronald Jones, will be signed by the Dallas Cowboys to a one-year contract on Tuesday.
Although Dallas dismissed Ezekiel Elliott as a post-June 1st cut last week, Jones is another seasoned running back on the roster. He joins Rico Dowdle, who was just re-signed, Malik Davis, and Tony Pollard.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected the two-time Super Bowl champion in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. While Jones, who entered the draught with high hopes, was never Tampa Bay’s starter at running back, he still managed to rack up 2,174 rushing yards, 593 receiving yards, and 19 touchdowns overall.
Jones had a career-high 978 yards and seven scores in his greatest season with the Buccaneers in 2020, but he also played for the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning squad the previous year.
About a year ago, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Ronald Jones to a one-year deal. At the time of the agreement, it appeared like Jones may be the ideal addition to the Chiefs’ one-two punch as Darrel Williams was leaving and Clyde Edwards-Helaire needed a replacement. Nevertheless, as the offseason went on, Kansas City’s running back room became a little bit more stuffy for a former 1,000-yard rusher who probably signed the contract because he was glad to be out of Leonard Fournette’s shadow. The Chiefs picked youngster Isiah Pacheco, who they were so confident in that he would eventually be designated the starter, and they also brought back Jerick McKinnon, who had been their best running back during the NFL playoffs in 2021.
Jones finally participated in third-team drills during training camp, and many of us believed he wouldn’t make the 53-man roster as a result. But, Jones did, and what had been a year of optimistic resurgence for Jones became a year of serving as a team’s backup plan. Just six regular season games saw him, and only 10% of the snaps and 18 touches he received were more than he received in his rookie season. Jones stated that he would like to be released at the end of October, but the team kept him. Down the line, the Chiefs did ultimately activate him, and in Week 17, when he had 10 runs for 45 yards and showcased the north-and-south explosion he had in Tampa Bay, he even showed potential.
It didn’t work out in Kansas City for whatever reason—mostly a numbers game. The 25-year-old will likely sign with a team that almost assures him playing time and touches when he does so next. At his age, with his still-young legs, the organization will be receiving value regardless of how pricey the contract is.
Coming into his first offseason with the Cowboys, Jones ought to have new legs. RoJo signed a one-year contract with the Chiefs after declining to stay with Tampa Bay, participated in six games, and contributed 70 yards to his career total. Despite the fact that he didn’t play much, reaching a compromise by earning his second Super Bowl ring is wise.
