In a shocking move, the Jaguars elected to waive former 4th overall pick, RB Leonard Fournette. This comes a day after the Jaguars shipped away star DE Yannick Ngakoue for a 2nd rounder and a conditional 5th.
What once looked like a team primed for a bright future with loads of young talent; they had held a 10 point lead in the 4th quarter in Foxborough on their way to the Super Bowl. However after losing in heartbreak fashion in 2018, their franchise has been riddled with bad luck and mismanagement ever since. Since that time, along with Ngakoue and Fournette, they have moved on from Calais Campbell, Marcell Dareus, Dante Fowler Jr., AJ Bouye, Barry Church, and Tashaun Gipson.
The timing of the move is peculiar to say the least. Fournette was going into the final year of his rookie deal. Fournette has experienced injuries in the past but is coming off a career-best 1152 rushing yards along with 76 catches in 15 games. His yards-per-touch were not optimal but he’s only 25 coming into the prime of his career with an offense that needed all the help it could get.
Fournette will make his way through waivers but it is unlikely any team will pick up his contract considering nobody was willing to send a conditional sixth or seventh rounder for him in a trade. Don’t be surprised if Fournette seeks a one-year prove-it deal with a contender who is looking for a north/south power back.
Before we get into the three best landing spots for Fournette, here are some teams that just missed the cut:
Patriots
Belichick loves a good project. Just look at Randy Moss and new QB, Cam Newton. However, the Patriots do not need to go after Fournette’s services at this time as they have a really crowded RB room. Going into the season the Patriots have Sony Michel, pass catcher James White along with Rex Burkhead and 2019 third round pick, Damien Harris. Additionally, they signed former starting RB Lamar Miller. There just isn’t room for Fournette on the Patriots.
Rams
Fournette has a similar background and running style to Todd Gurley. Two prolific SEC RBs who were former first round picks that can run between the tackles and catch the ball out of the backfield. However, GM Les Snead and the Rams have used a lot of draft capital in the position the past two years as they drafted Darrell Henderson Jr. in the third round in 2019 along with Cam Akers in the second round this past draft. The thought of Fournette in Mcvay’s offense is intriguing but not likely.
3 Landing Spots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I know, I know. The Bucs just signed Shady Mccoy in an attempt to rekindle some of that Philly/Buffalo magic. However, he was a healthy scratch the last two months for the Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs in an inexperienced and relatively unproven RB room. But what about Ronald Jones or third rounder Keshawn Vaughan? When Tom Brady shocked the world and signed with Tampa Bay, the window of opportunity to win opened for the Bucs but the clock is ticking. They are in win now mode and cannot wait for these young guys to develop. Commodities like Fournette do not come around right before the season in free agency too often. This move would keep Fournette in Florida and would give the Bucs the downhill runner they desperately need.
The Bucs cap situation is tight but Fournette could be enticed in a one-year prove-it deal to play with the most talented offense in football. Brady always had a solid run game in New England to compliment his passing attack. With Fournette, Tampa can better preserve late-game leads and not rely on a 43-year old Brady to carry this offense consistently.
Chicago Bears
Chicago is an interesting spot for Fournette. He would get a chance to reunite with offensive coordinator John DeFilippo and QB Nick Foles from Jacksonville. In Chicago’s cold weather, Fournette’s downhill running style suits their team perfectly. With Fournette in the mix, the Bears can rely on a solid run game, ball control, and keep their top-tier defense more rested. It’s not the sexiest football, but it’s how a team like Jacksonville made the AFC championship in 2017, and with the Bears QB room, it seems like the smart play.
The Bears have had high hopes from 2019 draft pick David Montgomery since he arrived but he just went down with a groin strain in camp last week. The Fournette signing makes even more sense as Montgomery may not be ready to go for the first few weeks of the season.
Seattle Seahawks
Fournette to Seattle just sounds like such a Pete Carroll-esque move. Like the Bucs, the Seahawks are in win-now mode as shown with the haul they gave up for Jamal Adams. This is a downhill, run-first team that prides themselves on controlling the ball. Similar to New England, they have a crowded running back room. However, starter Chris Carson is coming off a hip fracture in week 16 of last season, while Rashaad Penny is coming off a torn ACL. They signed Carlos Hyde and drafted Deejay Dallas in day three for extra depth, but none of these guys have the talent of Fournette. If the Seahawks were to release Hyde, it would free up $2 million in cap space while only eating up 750k in dead money against the cap.
If Fournette wound up in Seattle, it would be eerily similar to when Marshawn Lynch was brought on early in his career. Like Fournette, Lynch was a first rounder who had locker room concerns and was let go after three years in Buffalo. However, Pete Carroll saw what he could be and molded his offense around his violent running style.
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