Rodgers will face competition from 2017 fifth-round pick Jeremy McNichols in the coming season, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.
Rodgers was a pleasant surprise last season after signing with the Bucs following a preseason release from the Bears, compiling a personal-best 560 rushing yards while carrying the ball a career-high 129 times. He re-signed on a cap-friendly two-year deal this offseason, but McNichols represents serious competition in terms of playing time. The rookie brings the entirety of Rodgers' skill set to the table but in more spectacular fashion, having logged more "explosive" pass plays of 16 or more yards than any other running back in his draft class outside of Tennessee's Alvin Kamara, according to Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times. McNichols also has 3,205 rushing yards (5.6 YPA) over 34 college games and solid pass-blocking skills, making him a younger and higher-ceiling version of Rodgers. However, with questions still surrounding No. 1 back Doug Martin (suspension) -- as well as his guaranteed absence for the first three weeks of the season -- Rodgers offers the Bucs the security blanket of a veteran back who is also intimately familiar with head coach Dirk Koetter's system.