The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have officially signed former Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, the team announced on Sunday.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it’s a one-year deal with a $2 million base salary and max value of $3.5 million.
The former number four overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft comes to Tampa Bay after spending three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-19). In 2019, Fournette racked up 1,674 all-purpose yards, which ranked sixth in the NFL among all players and fifth among running backs. He also ranked sixth in rushing, with a career-best 1,152 yards, marking the second time he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the past three seasons. Fournette’s 76 receptions and 522 receiving yards a year ago each ranked fifth among running backs.
There have been some reports about teammates not wanting to play with Fournette in Jacksonville, and according to Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone, before the team released Fournette, the Jaguars were looking to deal him, but with the Buccaneers, Fournette will be playing with Tom Brady, who brings instant respect. In 2017, Jacksonville made it to the AFC title game before losing to Brady and the Patriots, and Fournette was a big part of Jacksonville’s success that season.
Tampa Bay adds the 25-year-old Fournette to a backfield that includes Ronald Jones and LeSean McCoy. They also add Fournette to an offense that includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rob Gronkowski. It should be interesting to see how the Buccaneers will use Fournette. Still, no matter how they use him, the Buccaneers are getting a talented football player, who will try to put himself in a position to get a big contract when he becomes a free agent at season’s end.
Tampa Bay will give Fournette a chance to win again, and hopefully, for him, change the narrative.
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