Rodgers is listed as the second running back ahead of second-round pick Ronald Jones II on the initial version of the Buccaneers' regular-season depth chart, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The veteran has seen his fortunes improve significantly since late last month after his roster spot appeared far from guaranteed in the early part of preseason. The first domino to fall was backfield mate Charles Sims' season-ending knee injury, which created an opening for a pass-catching back. That's a description that dovetails well with Rodgers' skill set, but the fact he's also now slotted in ahead of Jones to open the season is particularly noteworthy. Rodgers carried out a traditional running-back role on multiple occasions in 2016 while filling in for the since-departed Doug Martin, even logging 56 carries over a two-game period at one point. Therefore, his No. 2 designation appears legitimate, with Rodgers seemingly in line for a modest, yet steady workload behind starter Peyton Barber that should include more than just short-yardage targets out of the backfield.