The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense will look a lot different in 2023 compared to previous seasons. There will be no quarterback Tom Brady, who decided to retire earlier this year, and no starting running back Leonard Fournette, who is expected to be released in the near future.

According to multiple reports, Tampa plans to release Fournette as part of its efforts to clear the salary cap. The 28-year-old player was set to enter the second year of the three-year, $21 million contract he signed last year but only had $2 million guarantees left.

While releasing Fournette gets them a $3.5 million salary cap relief, the Bucs still have a long way to go before being in the clear. They are currently projected to be more than $50 million over the cap, meaning more cuts and/or contract restructures are coming.

Fournette struggled in 2022, finishing with 462 rushing yards on 3.4 yards per carry and three touchdowns. This greatly contributed to Bucs finishing the season at the bottom of the league in rushing. 

Shortly after the reports started circulating, Fournette spoke with Tampa Bay Times and said that the release was actually his idea. He told the media outlet that he asked the Bucs to cut him, and the front office obliged.

“Winning is everything,” Fournette said. “That’s all. And in my last three years here, that’s all we’ve done. But since my guy [Brady] left, that’s why I came, so my time here was up.”

Leonard Fournette became a fan favorite in Tampa for his stellar performances during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2020. He rushed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in four games while also adding 18 catches for 148 yards and a TD.

The post Bucs Plan to Release Starting RB Leonard Fournette appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It didn’t take long for running back Leonard Fournette to find a new team after being released by Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week. According to multiple reports, Fournette inked a one-year deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Reportedly, Fournette will earn up to $3.5 million, including incentives in 2020.

While Bucs still didn’t make the news official, Fournette himself confirmed the deal on social media.

Tampa Bay looked to improve their running game this offseason, as they averaged just 3.7 rushing yards per attempt in the past three seasons, ranking last in the NFL. With the re-worked running back core in 2020, however, things will most likely change for the better.

Fournette will join a crowded Bucs’ backfield that consists out of six-time Pro Bowler LeSean McCoy, last year’s starter Ronald Jones, and rookie Dare Ogunbowale. This now gives head coach Bruce Arians a talented group to work with and provides badly-needed help for the team’s new quarterback Tom Brady.

Fournette was Jaguars’ No.4 pick in 2017. In three years in Jacksonville, he had 2,631 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns, while also adding 134 receptions for 1,009 yards and two TDs.

The post Ex-Jags RB Leonard Fournette signs with Bucs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Jacksonville Jaguars surprisingly announced on Monday that the team has released running back Leonard Fournette. This comes after Jags unsuccessfully tried to trade the 25-year-old player, who was the No. 4 pick in 2017, for the better part of the offseason.

Fournette was Jacksonville’s leading rusher in 2019, managing career-high 1,152 yards and three touchdowns. He also established himself as a reliable receiving option, catching 76 passes for 522 yards.

Despite this production, Jaguars’ head coach Doug Marrone told reporters that he didn’t see Fournette as part of the team moving forward.

“At the end of the day, we feel … the skill sets of the guys that we have [can replace Fournette], and really that’s what led to the decision,” said Marrone. “And it’s been something that we’ve done it with every single position we’ve been looking at. We’ve done cutups, we’ve done tapes, we’ve gone back, we’ve looked at everything, what we’ve tried to get done.”

Marrone added that the team would have preferred to trade Fournette and obtain some assets in return, but Jaguars “couldn’t get anything” for on the market.

Jaguars spent the fourth overall pick on Leonard Fournette in 2017 with hopes that he will carry their running game for years to come. And while Fournette showed such potential in these past three years, injuries and inconsistency stopped him from meeting expectations in Jacksonville.

Fournette is currently subject to waivers, but it’s unlikely that any NFL team will claim him. Still, once he becomes a free agent, there should not be a lack of interest in his services as there are teams that still think he could turn around his career.

The post Jags’ Release RB Leonard Fournette, No. 4 Pick in 2017 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After unsuccessfully shopping running back Leonard Fournette in the past couple of months, Jacksonville Jaguars decided to stop trying. Jags’ general manager Dave Caldwell recently told Pro Football Talk that he expects Fournette to remain with the organization thorough the 2020 NFL season.

Jacksonville were reportedly trying to move on from Fournette, their fourth overall pick in 2017, for some time now and have even decided not to pick up the 5th year option on his deal. However, after failing to find any takers, Jags are now stuck with the 25-year-old and are trying to mend a broken relationship.

“To be honest with you, there were just some minor discussions with that but nothing substantial throughout the draft or prior to the draft,” said Caldwell. “I think the mindset is that we’re going to go forward with Leonard on the team. I had a good talk with him on Friday. I know Coach Marrone has had some discussion with him. He seems to be in great shape and mental frame of mind, and we feel that he’ll have a great season this year.”

Leonard Fournette had his ups and downs since entering the league, but managed to put together a solid season in 2019 with 1,152 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also showed significant progress in the pass-catching game with 76 receptions for 522 yards.

Still, Jags don’t seem sold on Fournette’s long-term prospect in the league and his fit in their offense. Also, they probably don’t want to be reminded all the time that they could have All-Pro back in Christian McCaffrey or even a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Patrick Mahomes.

The post Jaguars Decide to Keep RB Leonard Fournette appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette would probably want to forget 2018 as soon as possible.

After having an impressive rookie season, Fournette struggled last year both on and off the field. But the 24-year-old is already working on bouncing back in 2019.

During the team’s OTAs, Fournette had a chat with reporters and revealed that he is looking to have a “clean start” this season while not being focused on the past.

“I’m happy, especially the way I’m here working with my team right now,” – said Fournette. “It’s a new year. We have a new team. We’re focused and we have new players. It’s a new year for us. So it’s a new everything. It’s a clean start for a lot of us guys. We’re not focused on the past. The past’s the past. Some things I did, whether it was offseason and I admitted to, yeah, I was wrong. We moved on. We’re in a good place right now.”

Leonard Fournette could definitely use a fresh start, and his numbers in 2018 illustrate that in the best way possible. In his rookie season, Fournette rushed for 1,040 yards and had nine rushing touchdowns to go with 36 receptions for 302 and one TD. In last season, however, he only managed to rush for 439 yards and five touchdowns, while missing eight games due to a combination of injuries and suspensions.

After a disappointing year, Fournette decided to go to LSU, his alma mater, in the offseason and work on his strength and conditioning. He also spent time at the University of Wyoming where he worked with Ben Iannacchione.

“I kind of put a lot on myself this offseason, like getting my body right,” – Fournette explained. “Just mentally coming back ready to play football. No distractions. Leaving the outside stuff where it’s at. I think that’s one of the biggest things that us players have a problem with.”

It seems like Fournette is definitely ready to make improvements this season and get his career back on track. Whether he’ll manage to do that, it remains to be seen.

The post Jags’ RB Leonard Fournette Looking for a “Clean Start” in 2019 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leonard Fournette wasted no time in announcing himself in his rookie season in the Jaguars attack. And this year he only intends to get better.

The New Orleans born running back rushed 1,040 yards for the Jags, producing the belligerence needed to push Jacksonville to the AFC title game. Now he’s aiming for another post-season but this time, going one better.

Lower body injuries took their toll on Fournette last season. Since the 24–20 defeat to New England, he’s dropped 12 pounds to 223 in a bid to negate their impact.

It’s done him the world of good. “I feel healthier,” he said earlier this week. “I want to be great. That’s my weight — what I felt best at in college my sophomore year when I was up for the Heisman. I just want to take it back there.”

His weight loss hasn’t gone unnoticed. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue observed that Fournette seems “faster, just from seeing him catching the ball and exploding.”

His previous 235-pound bulk contributed to his injury problems, hampering his maneuverability. Consequently, that kept him down at an average 3.9 yards.

Ngakoue thinks his hard work will pay off. “I’ve seen him a couple of times, he caught a couple of routes and just was hitting it down the sideline,” he continued. “I can tell he’s been working hard. I’m definitely proud of him as well.”

It’s this attention to detail which will mark out Fournette as a key attacking force for the Jaguars. And with the intensity of their play, these seemingly small changes certainly make all the difference between success and failure.

The post Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette Feels Healthier and Ready to Rumble appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Although not participating in practice for the last two days due to a quad injury, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette said on Friday that he is ready to play through it. The 22-year-old said that he has been massaging and icing the injury in order to make himself capable to play against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

“Right now it’s taking care of it, making sure nothing else happens to it,” – said Fournette.

In case that the Jags manage to get a win in the game against the Texans, they will clinch their first playoff appearance since 2007.

Fournette suffered an injury in the third quarter of the Jaguars’ win against the Seattle Seahawks when safety Earl Thomas hit him. Despite the quad injury, Fournette remained in the game and ended it with 101 rushing yards.

This isn’t his first injury of the season, since he already had problems with an ankle injury that lad to him missing Week 7 through Week 9. These problems, however, caused Fournette to learn how to take care of his body.

“The running backs take the most licks of anybody on the field and put our bodies on the line,” – he said. “Like I said, that’s our job, and it’s how we bounce back from it by taking care of our bodies, needling [acupuncture] and stuff, the things you do to be a pro athlete.“

Leonard Fournette declared himself eligible in the 2017 NFL Draft, after spending three years at the Louisiana State University. He played 31 games for LSU Tigers (24 as a starter) and had 3,830 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns. Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him with the fourth overall pick in the draft. Fournette played 11 games for the Jaguars so far and managed 923 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while also adding 213 receiving yards and one touchdown.

The post Jacksonville Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette Wants To Play Through Injury appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense will look a lot different in 2023 compared to previous seasons. There will be no quarterback Tom Brady, who decided to retire earlier this year, and no starting running back Leonard Fournette, who is expected to be released in the near future.

According to multiple reports, Tampa plans to release Fournette as part of its efforts to clear the salary cap. The 28-year-old player was set to enter the second year of the three-year, $21 million contract he signed last year but only had $2 million guarantees left.

While releasing Fournette gets them a $3.5 million salary cap relief, the Bucs still have a long way to go before being in the clear. They are currently projected to be more than $50 million over the cap, meaning more cuts and/or contract restructures are coming.

Fournette struggled in 2022, finishing with 462 rushing yards on 3.4 yards per carry and three touchdowns. This greatly contributed to Bucs finishing the season at the bottom of the league in rushing. 

Shortly after the reports started circulating, Fournette spoke with Tampa Bay Times and said that the release was actually his idea. He told the media outlet that he asked the Bucs to cut him, and the front office obliged.

“Winning is everything,” Fournette said. “That’s all. And in my last three years here, that’s all we’ve done. But since my guy [Brady] left, that’s why I came, so my time here was up.”

Leonard Fournette became a fan favorite in Tampa for his stellar performances during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2020. He rushed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in four games while also adding 18 catches for 148 yards and a TD.

The post Bucs Plan to Release Starting RB Leonard Fournette appeared first on SportzBonanza.

It didn’t take long for running back Leonard Fournette to find a new team after being released by Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week. According to multiple reports, Fournette inked a one-year deal with Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Reportedly, Fournette will earn up to $3.5 million, including incentives in 2020.

While Bucs still didn’t make the news official, Fournette himself confirmed the deal on social media.

Tampa Bay looked to improve their running game this offseason, as they averaged just 3.7 rushing yards per attempt in the past three seasons, ranking last in the NFL. With the re-worked running back core in 2020, however, things will most likely change for the better.

Fournette will join a crowded Bucs’ backfield that consists out of six-time Pro Bowler LeSean McCoy, last year’s starter Ronald Jones, and rookie Dare Ogunbowale. This now gives head coach Bruce Arians a talented group to work with and provides badly-needed help for the team’s new quarterback Tom Brady.

Fournette was Jaguars’ No.4 pick in 2017. In three years in Jacksonville, he had 2,631 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns, while also adding 134 receptions for 1,009 yards and two TDs.

The post Ex-Jags RB Leonard Fournette signs with Bucs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Jacksonville Jaguars surprisingly announced on Monday that the team has released running back Leonard Fournette. This comes after Jags unsuccessfully tried to trade the 25-year-old player, who was the No. 4 pick in 2017, for the better part of the offseason.

Fournette was Jacksonville’s leading rusher in 2019, managing career-high 1,152 yards and three touchdowns. He also established himself as a reliable receiving option, catching 76 passes for 522 yards.

Despite this production, Jaguars’ head coach Doug Marrone told reporters that he didn’t see Fournette as part of the team moving forward.

“At the end of the day, we feel … the skill sets of the guys that we have [can replace Fournette], and really that’s what led to the decision,” said Marrone. “And it’s been something that we’ve done it with every single position we’ve been looking at. We’ve done cutups, we’ve done tapes, we’ve gone back, we’ve looked at everything, what we’ve tried to get done.”

Marrone added that the team would have preferred to trade Fournette and obtain some assets in return, but Jaguars “couldn’t get anything” for on the market.

Jaguars spent the fourth overall pick on Leonard Fournette in 2017 with hopes that he will carry their running game for years to come. And while Fournette showed such potential in these past three years, injuries and inconsistency stopped him from meeting expectations in Jacksonville.

Fournette is currently subject to waivers, but it’s unlikely that any NFL team will claim him. Still, once he becomes a free agent, there should not be a lack of interest in his services as there are teams that still think he could turn around his career.

The post Jags’ Release RB Leonard Fournette, No. 4 Pick in 2017 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After unsuccessfully shopping running back Leonard Fournette in the past couple of months, Jacksonville Jaguars decided to stop trying. Jags’ general manager Dave Caldwell recently told Pro Football Talk that he expects Fournette to remain with the organization thorough the 2020 NFL season.

Jacksonville were reportedly trying to move on from Fournette, their fourth overall pick in 2017, for some time now and have even decided not to pick up the 5th year option on his deal. However, after failing to find any takers, Jags are now stuck with the 25-year-old and are trying to mend a broken relationship.

“To be honest with you, there were just some minor discussions with that but nothing substantial throughout the draft or prior to the draft,” said Caldwell. “I think the mindset is that we’re going to go forward with Leonard on the team. I had a good talk with him on Friday. I know Coach Marrone has had some discussion with him. He seems to be in great shape and mental frame of mind, and we feel that he’ll have a great season this year.”

Leonard Fournette had his ups and downs since entering the league, but managed to put together a solid season in 2019 with 1,152 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also showed significant progress in the pass-catching game with 76 receptions for 522 yards.

Still, Jags don’t seem sold on Fournette’s long-term prospect in the league and his fit in their offense. Also, they probably don’t want to be reminded all the time that they could have All-Pro back in Christian McCaffrey or even a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Patrick Mahomes.

The post Jaguars Decide to Keep RB Leonard Fournette appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette would probably want to forget 2018 as soon as possible.

After having an impressive rookie season, Fournette struggled last year both on and off the field. But the 24-year-old is already working on bouncing back in 2019.

During the team’s OTAs, Fournette had a chat with reporters and revealed that he is looking to have a “clean start” this season while not being focused on the past.

“I’m happy, especially the way I’m here working with my team right now,” – said Fournette. “It’s a new year. We have a new team. We’re focused and we have new players. It’s a new year for us. So it’s a new everything. It’s a clean start for a lot of us guys. We’re not focused on the past. The past’s the past. Some things I did, whether it was offseason and I admitted to, yeah, I was wrong. We moved on. We’re in a good place right now.”

Leonard Fournette could definitely use a fresh start, and his numbers in 2018 illustrate that in the best way possible. In his rookie season, Fournette rushed for 1,040 yards and had nine rushing touchdowns to go with 36 receptions for 302 and one TD. In last season, however, he only managed to rush for 439 yards and five touchdowns, while missing eight games due to a combination of injuries and suspensions.

After a disappointing year, Fournette decided to go to LSU, his alma mater, in the offseason and work on his strength and conditioning. He also spent time at the University of Wyoming where he worked with Ben Iannacchione.

“I kind of put a lot on myself this offseason, like getting my body right,” – Fournette explained. “Just mentally coming back ready to play football. No distractions. Leaving the outside stuff where it’s at. I think that’s one of the biggest things that us players have a problem with.”

It seems like Fournette is definitely ready to make improvements this season and get his career back on track. Whether he’ll manage to do that, it remains to be seen.

The post Jags’ RB Leonard Fournette Looking for a “Clean Start” in 2019 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Leonard Fournette wasted no time in announcing himself in his rookie season in the Jaguars attack. And this year he only intends to get better.

The New Orleans born running back rushed 1,040 yards for the Jags, producing the belligerence needed to push Jacksonville to the AFC title game. Now he’s aiming for another post-season but this time, going one better.

Lower body injuries took their toll on Fournette last season. Since the 24–20 defeat to New England, he’s dropped 12 pounds to 223 in a bid to negate their impact.

It’s done him the world of good. “I feel healthier,” he said earlier this week. “I want to be great. That’s my weight — what I felt best at in college my sophomore year when I was up for the Heisman. I just want to take it back there.”

His weight loss hasn’t gone unnoticed. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue observed that Fournette seems “faster, just from seeing him catching the ball and exploding.”

His previous 235-pound bulk contributed to his injury problems, hampering his maneuverability. Consequently, that kept him down at an average 3.9 yards.

Ngakoue thinks his hard work will pay off. “I’ve seen him a couple of times, he caught a couple of routes and just was hitting it down the sideline,” he continued. “I can tell he’s been working hard. I’m definitely proud of him as well.”

It’s this attention to detail which will mark out Fournette as a key attacking force for the Jaguars. And with the intensity of their play, these seemingly small changes certainly make all the difference between success and failure.

The post Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette Feels Healthier and Ready to Rumble appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Although not participating in practice for the last two days due to a quad injury, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette said on Friday that he is ready to play through it. The 22-year-old said that he has been massaging and icing the injury in order to make himself capable to play against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

“Right now it’s taking care of it, making sure nothing else happens to it,” – said Fournette.

In case that the Jags manage to get a win in the game against the Texans, they will clinch their first playoff appearance since 2007.

Fournette suffered an injury in the third quarter of the Jaguars’ win against the Seattle Seahawks when safety Earl Thomas hit him. Despite the quad injury, Fournette remained in the game and ended it with 101 rushing yards.

This isn’t his first injury of the season, since he already had problems with an ankle injury that lad to him missing Week 7 through Week 9. These problems, however, caused Fournette to learn how to take care of his body.

“The running backs take the most licks of anybody on the field and put our bodies on the line,” – he said. “Like I said, that’s our job, and it’s how we bounce back from it by taking care of our bodies, needling [acupuncture] and stuff, the things you do to be a pro athlete.“

Leonard Fournette declared himself eligible in the 2017 NFL Draft, after spending three years at the Louisiana State University. He played 31 games for LSU Tigers (24 as a starter) and had 3,830 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns. Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him with the fourth overall pick in the draft. Fournette played 11 games for the Jaguars so far and managed 923 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while also adding 213 receiving yards and one touchdown.

The post Jacksonville Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette Wants To Play Through Injury appeared first on SportzBonanza.