3 Bucs with Something to Prove in 2020

These three Tampa Bay players are ready to step up their game this season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a banner offseason, signing Tom Brady in free agency and luring Rob Gronkowski out of retirement to join him for a potential Super Bowl run over the next two seasons.

But while there are many players currently on the Bucs' roster who are plenty accomplished, there are still a handful hoping to make a name for themselves in 2020, stepping out of the shadows to make their own mark on the league.

Here are three Bucs who have something to prove this season:

RB Ronald Jones II

When the Bucs let Peyton Barber walk this offseason, it was a clear endorsement of Jones, who became the team's lead back on early downs. After a dismal rookie season, Jones flashed plenty of promise last season while splitting carries with Barber, enough to have the team head into the 2020 season with him as the clear-cut No. 1 atop the depth chart.

That said, the Bucs also spent a third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on Vanderbilt's Ke'Shawn Vaughn, who is likely to keep Jones from making an impact on third downs, and could challenge him for that early-down work. That should motivate Jones to have the best season of his career in 2020, especially with opposing defenses paying so much attention to the team's talented aerial weapons.

TE O.J. Howard

Bucs fans have been waiting for Howard to break out his entire career, but injuries and inconsistency have kept the former first-round pick from living up to the hype of being a top-20 selection. On paper, Howard's rare combination of size and athleticism should make him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, but it just hasn't happened yet for the former Alabama star.

Instead, Howard now finds himself in a crowded tight end room with veteran Cameron Brate, and the newly acquired Gronkowski. That should push Howard to be the best version of himself this season, but it might just end up limiting his opportunities to shine even further. Time is running out for Howard to live up to his draft slot, and now's the time for him to prove he deserves to be part of Tampa Bay's long-term roster plan.

OT Donovan Smith

Smith's best ability has been availability, having missed just one start at left tackle since being named the Week 1 starter as a rookie back in 2015. But while there's something to be said for durability at a premium position, Smith's overall performance hasn't been the most consistent, especially against some of the league's top edge rushers.

Smith signed a three-year, $41-million extension last offseason, but there's no more guaranteed money left on the deal after the 2020 season. If he wants to keep the Bucs from finding an alternative solution (on that's younger, cheaper, and potentially better), he'll need to prove he can be a consistent performer, especially now that he's protecting Tom Brady's blind side.