TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones is undergoing a procedure Tuesday morning to have a pin inserted into his left pinkie finger, a source said Tuesday.
Jones suffered a fractured pinkie early in the game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, when he was blocking. He was able to return to the game, rushing for 80 yards on 18 carries.
Sources close to the situation said it is unclear at this point whether Jones will miss any time with the injury, with one saying they won’t know until later this week, but that he still has a chance to play.
Jones is in the midst of a breakout season. His 900 rushing yards are currently fourth most in the NFL. Even more importantly, coach Bruce Arians has recently reaffirmed the Bucs’ commitment to running the ball.
If Jones can’t go, LeSean McCoy and Leonard Fournette are both options, as is rookie Ke’Shawn Vaughn. McCoy, who hadn’t seen any real action since Week 6, stepped in Sunday and rushed for 32 yards on four carries and had a catch for 3 yards, while Fournette was a healthy scratch.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin suffered a fractured index finger in Week 7 this season, requiring 10 pins. He missed Week 8 before returning in Week 9.