One day after a visit with the Patriots, Leonard Fournette has decided to stay in Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are re-signing the running back to a three-year, $21MM deal (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). He adds that the contract has a maximum value of $24MM. 
[RELATED: Patriots Meet With Fournette, Work Out Butler]
An ESPN report further details that the deal includes $9MM in guaranteed money. Fournette, 27, has spent the past two years in Tampa Bay after his time in Jacksonville came to an end. He was clearly willing to test the open market, given his visit in New England, but a return to the Buccaneers – especially given the unretirement of Tom Brady – was the most logical move in the eyes of many.
Fournette didn’t have the bell-cow type of workload he was used to as a Jaguar during his early days with the Buccaneers. However, he took over the starting role from Ronald Jones in 2021, and seized the opportunity. The former fourth overall pick averaged a career-high 4.5 yards per carry, and ranked sixth in the league amongst RBs with 1,266 scrimmage yards.
Keeping Fournette was also likely a necessary move, given the state of Tampa’s depth chart at the position. The aforementioned Jones, along with Giovani Bernard, are both unrestricted free agents, so this signing fills a roster hole. Along with the extension of receiver Chris Godwin, it also marks another sign of continuity in the Bucs’ offense, which – to much more of an extent than many thought – will look very similar in 2022 to what it has in the past two seasons.
I think it’s also fairly certain that Gronk will re-sign too, so the gang will run it back at least one more time.
They still have to decide on JPP, Suh & Gholston.
Probably waiting to do all other signings and Gronk can sign a flexible contract to get under cap, all bonus money, easy incentives type deal.
Really hope Suh comes back. JPP and Gholston can walk if necessary.
I love that the Pats are the sad sack team that Free Agents use to get the organization they actually want to sign with to up their offers.
Let it go Stabby. My boys haven’t won a ring since ’19. Let someone else rent that space in your head.
And they won’t win another
Wait, they’re sad sacks for not making a signing that would have been silly for them to make?
I know you are a jersey jets fan so I’ll speak slower for you…they are a sad sack for getting used by a FA to get a deal from a team they actually want to sign with by using “interest” from a bad franchise. I know you don’t understand because people have been using the Jets like that for years and you think it’s normal. Enjoy Mormon Drew Lock and 4th in the AFCE, again
So you’re just trolling what you feel like trolling and not feeling obligated to make a coherent point, per usual. The Patriots didn’t make a stupid signing and somehow this reflects poorly on them, because that’s the conclusion you want to reach. To a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. And you’re very nearly as smart as a hammer.
“ So you’re just trolling what you feel like trolling and not feeling obligated to make a coherent point”
Please try English.
To answer your evasive question no, the Pats don’t look bad because they didn’t give him a deal, the Pats look bad because they were soo happy that he was showing them attention only to have it turn out that he was using them to get a better offer from the Bucs. I know as a jersey fan, you are used to this.. but just know everyone laughs at you.
To the nail, everything looks like a hammer because eventually that’s all the nail (#oooof) will ever know…
Lenny the legend