Leonard Fournette - Pro Football Rumors

Bears Won’t Pursue Leonard Fournette

September 2nd, 2020 at 12:33pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have been connected to Leonard Fournette, but it doesn’t sound like the former Jaguars standout will be coming to Chicago. When asked about the former No. 4 overall pick, head coach Matt Nagy told reporters that he’s comfortable with his current group of running backs (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeff Dickerson).

The Jaguars released Fournette earlier this week and all 31 of the league’s other teams passed on claiming the remainder of his contract. Fournette would have earned nearly $4.2MM for 2020, and that price tag was too high for everyone else. Now, Fournette is a full-fledged free agent, but he’ll likely have to settle for less money than he wanted.

Fournette totaled a career-high 1,674 yards from scrimmage last season, but Jay Gruden wasn’t a huge fan of his work. Instead, Gruden signed old pal Chris Thompson to lead the charge and add some pass-catching ability to the backfield. Ryquell Armstead, a 2019 fifth-rounder who averaged just 3.1 yards per carry as a rookie, also figures to have a sizable role at RB.

Leonard Fournette Clears Waivers, Files Grievance Against Jaguars

September 1st, 2020 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

No team submitted a waiver claim for Leonard Fournette. The former No. 4 overall pick is now a free agent, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

While the two-time 1,000-yard rusher profiles as one of the top players available, he has set his sights on the Jaguars for a payment. Fournette has filed a grievance against the Jags for the $4.167MM base salary that would have been due to him this season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

This grievance stems from the one-game suspension Fournette incurred in 2018 for fighting with then-Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson. In December 2018, the Jaguars voided the remaining guarantees in Fournette’s contract. Fournette challenged this, and the void decision is now relevant since money remains on the table from the running back’s previously fully guaranteed rookie deal.

But the team that signs Fournette is no longer bound by the terms of his rookie deal. Fournette will be an interesting addition to a team’s backfield, in what will be an attempt for the formerly coveted prospect to revive his career.

Jaguars Release Leonard Fournette

August 31st, 2020 at 8:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are releasing running back Leonard Fournette, as Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone has also officially confirmed the move, which will place the former No. 4 overall pick on the waiver wire.

“At the end of the day, I’ve got to be able to field a team that gives us the best chance to win,” Marrone said (Twitter link via John Oehser of the team website).

Fournette is scheduled to earn $4.1MM in fully guaranteed base salary this season. His contract contains no offset language, so the Jaguars will be off the hook if another club claims him. The Jags declined Fournette’s pick’s fifth-year option, so he has just one year to go on his deal.

Although Fournette totaled a career-high 1,674 yards from scrimmage last season, opinions are split on Fournette’s effectiveness. This year, the Jaguars hired a new OC in Jay Gruden, and they decided to take the running game in a different direction. Jacksonville signed former Gruden passing-down back Chris Thompson, who is now set to take on an even larger role. He’s backstopped by Ryquell Armstead, a 2019 fifth-rounder who averaged just 3.1 yards per carry as a rookie.

The Jaguars tried to get something in exchange for Fournette, but they didn’t find much trade interest. The former LSU running back enjoyed an up-and-down tenure in Jacksonville. He posted two 1,000-yard seasons but also missed eight games in 2018 — a year in which he averaged just 54.9 yards per game — due to injury and suspension.

Fournette was the first running back chosen in 2017. The Jags used their top pick in that draft on him, passing on both Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes despite Blake Bortles‘ struggles.

Jaguars Plan To Keep Leonard Fournette

May 5th, 2020 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dave Caldwell admitted to discussing Leonard Fournette in trades during the draft. But the eighth-year Jaguars GM expects Fournette to be back with the Jags this season.

“There were just some minor discussions with that but nothing substantial throughout the draft or prior to the draft,” Caldwell said during an appearance on the #PFTPM podcast (via Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith). “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 (Doug) 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.”

The Jaguars are believed to have begun shopping Fournette well before the draft, but strong interest did not emerge. The Jags discussed deals with the Dolphins and Bucs during the draft. Both teams went in different directions, with Miami trading for Matt Breida and Tampa Bay drafting Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn in Round 3.

Fournette is set to make $4.1MM in fully guaranteed base salary this season. His contract contains no offset language. The Jags declined the former No. 4 overall pick’s fifth-year option. Although Fournette totaled a career-high 1,674 yards from scrimmage last season, the Jaguars hired a new OC in Jay Gruden.

Jacksonville signed former Gruden passing-down back Chris Thompson but has little depth behind Fournette. The team has 2019 fifth-rounder Ryquell Armstead, who averaged just 3.1 yards per carry as a rookie, and UDFA rookies behind its three-year starter.

Jaguars To Decline Leonard Fournette’s Fifth-Year Option

May 1st, 2020 at 5:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Leonard Fournette‘s two 1,000-yard seasons, the Jaguars will not pick up his fifth-year option, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

This is not a major surprise when considering the team shopped its three-year running back starter in trades. The Jags discussed Fournette deals with at least two teams — the Buccaneers and Dolphins — and began shopping him over a month ago.

Fournette’s option would cost the Jags north of $8MM. He is set to earn $4.16MM in 2020, what is now the final year of his rookie contract. Because Fournette was chosen in the top 10 three years ago, his option price comes in $3MM higher than it would have if he were a non-top-10 running back.

Thus far, the Jags have received tepid trade interest in Fournette. The former LSU running back has enjoyed an up-and-down tenure in Jacksonville. He has two 1,000-yard seasons but also missed eight games in 2018 — a year in which he averaged just 54.9 yards per game — and due to injury and a suspension. Fournette is, however, coming off his best season. He recorded 1,674 yards from scrimmage — 522 of which coming through the air.

Fournette was the first running back chosen in 2017. The Jags used their top pick in that draft on him, despite Blake Bortles coming off a down season and both Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes on the board. Now, it’s uncertain if Fournette will play another down in Jacksonville. The Jags did not draft a running back but did sign ex-Redskins passing-down back Chris Thompson on Friday. Thompson, 2019 fifth-rounder Ryquell Armstead (3.1 yards per carry as a rookie) and a host of UDFAs comprise Jacksonville’s running back depth chart beyond Fournette.

Jags, Bucs Discussed Leonard Fournette Trade

April 26th, 2020 at 9:33am CST by Rory Parks

The Jaguars, who have been trying to trade RB Leonard Fournette, contacted the Bucs about a potential deal, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Tampa Bay, however, added a running back via the draft when it selected Ke’Shawn Vaughn in the third round on Friday night. The Bucs also picked up Raymond Calais in the seventh round.

Fournette would have made some sense in Tampa Bay, as the club was said to be seeking a pass-catching back to complement Ronald Jones, and Fournette did haul in 76 passes for 522 yards in 2019. But the Bucs opted to go with younger (and cheaper) options in Vaughn and Calais.

The Jags, meanwhile, did not add an RB of their own with any of their 12 picks, so Fournette remains on the club as the undisputed RB1. He was drawing tepid interest on the trade market, and it remains to be seen if the team will continue seeking a trade now that the draft is over.

The LSU product is set to earn $4MM+ in 2020 with a fifth-year option for 2021, priced at more than $10MM. The Jaguars have until early May to exercise that option, which is guaranteed for injury only since Fournette was selected in the 2017 draft.

Jacksonville also discussed a deal with the Dolphins, but Miami acquired Matt Breida from the 49ers for this year’s No. 153 overall pick.

49ers Trade Matt Breida To Dolphins

April 25th, 2020 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers are shaking up their backfield and sending a member of their surplus to south Florida, dealing Matt Breida to the Dolphins for the No. 153 overall pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Miami did not previously address its backfield need but made multiple overtures to teams dangling veterans. The Dolphins discussed a Leonard Fournette deal with the Jaguars, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (on Twitter). Those talks occurred in March, however, and did not appear to lead to a serious change Fournette would change Florida cities.

With Jerick McKinnon still in the picture for the 49ers and three other backs in that mix as well, the defending NFC champions were a candidate to make a deal. Breida is entering a contract year and was mentioned as a possible trade chip earlier this offseason. While he was the odd man out for carries in Super Bowl LIV, Breida has displayed intriguing skills during his three-year 49ers run and looks to have a much clearer path to carries in Miami than he did in San Francisco.

The speedy ex-UDFA surpassed 600 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons, filling in for McKinnon in 2018 and being part of a productive timeshare with Tevin Coleman and Raheem Mostert last season. Breida eclipsed 5.0 yards per carry in each of the past two years. The 49ers still have Coleman, Mostert, McKinnon and Jeff Wilson under contract. They turned to Mostert, a career special-teamer, last season and appear prepared to give him more work.

Miami traded Kenyan Drake to Arizona before last year’s trade deadline and cut Mark Walton after yet another arrest. Breida will join free agent addition Jordan Howard in the Dolphins’ new-look backfield.

Fournette remains in Jacksonville, though his place there is certainly less certain than it was exiting last season. The Jags have engaged in Fournette trade talks for over a month but have not found trade talks to be particularly enticing. Fournette has one season left on his contract, but the Jaguars have another week and change to decide on his fifth-year option.

With their No. 153 pick, the 49ers took West Virginia offensive lineman Colton McKivitz.

Weak Offers For Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette

April 20th, 2020 at 8:30am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars haven’t found any viable deals for Leonard Fournette, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Schefter hears they’ve actually been shopping the running back for over a month, which indicates that he’s not in their plans for this year. Ultimately, they may have to settle for less than they anticipated if they really want to move on from him.

Fournette clashed with Tom Coughlin and struggled to stay healthy in his early seasons, but he turned in a solid 2019. The former No. 4 overall pick ran for a career-high 1,152 rushing yards with an average of 4.3 yards per carry, a big step up from his 3.3 average in an injury-shortened 2018. Still, the Jaguars aren’t sold on him.

The LSU product is set to earn $4MM+ in 2020 with a fifth-year option for 2021, priced at more than $10MM. The Jaguars have until early May to exercise that option and, clearly, they don’t think Fournette is worth the gamble. Meanwhile, Fournette has been less than thrilled with the Jaguars’ overhaul this offseason.

“Calais Campbell, they got rid of my dawg,″ Fournette said on social media after the veteran defensive end was shipped to the Ravens (via John Reid of the Florida Times-Union) . “I’m hurt, first those are my dawgs. ‘Don King’ Jalen Ramsey. And my dawg, Yan [Yannick Ngakoue]. Come on now…They’re just killing me right now. I’m just so hurt, it feels like my girl has broken up with me. She left to go with somebody else.″

Teams like the Buccaneers, Dolphins, Lions, Colts, and Bills would make varying degrees of sense for Fournette, but it’s not clear if they’ve been in contact with the Jags. Whichever clubs have expressed interest in Fournette, apparently, aren’t offering a whole lot.

Jaguars Discussing Leonard Fournette Trade

April 18th, 2020 at 5:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jaguars have engaged in trade discussions involving Leonard Fournette, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.Fournette has one season remaining on his rookie contract, though that deal can run through 2021 via the fifth-year option.

The Jaguars have already traded corners Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye over the last year, but they might not be done with their overhaul. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue has also requested a trade, so the Jaguars’ roster to open the 2020 campaign could be drastically different from their ’19 version.

Fournette is coming off of his best season to date. The former No. 4 overall pick set new career highs with 1,152 rushing yards and an average of 4.3 yards per tote. It was a solid answer to critics who wondered if he’d ever realize his potential. In the previous year, Fournette limped his way a 3.3 yards per carry average in eight games.

The 25-year-old could fetch some nice draft capital in return, though the Jaguars already have an impressive stockpile. With 12 selections as of this writing, the Jaguars are tied with the Patriots and Vikings for the second-highest total of picks in the league. Only the Dolphins, with 14 picks, have more.

There’s talent in this year’s running back class – headlined Georgia product D’Andre Swift – but none of this year’s incoming RBs are slam dunks for the first round. Teams like the Buccaneers, Falcons, and Bills could theoretically consider Fournette, allowing them to focus on other areas of need in the early stages. The Chiefs are another team with RBs on the radar, but they’re already pressed for cap room and Fournette’s $4.17MM deal wouldn’t fit.

Jaguars Fire Executive VP Tom Coughlin

December 18th, 2019 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The major changes in Jacksonville are starting. The Jaguars fired executive vice president Tom Coughlin on Wednesday night, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). The team has announced the move.

Coughlin, 73, was in his third season with the franchise. This marked the two-time Super Bowl-winning coach’s second stint in Jacksonville. He was the Jags’ first head coach, serving in that role from 1995-2002.

This move comes, obviously, as the Jaguars are wrapping up a second consecutive disappointing season. It also follows Monday’s news of an arbitrator ruling against the Jaguars and the NFLPA indicating in a statement that 25% of player grievances over the past two years have been against the Jags. In the statement, which centered around the Coughlin-led organization levying offseason fines, the union urged players to avoid signing with the Jaguars as free agents.

Owner Shad Khan said in a statement he determined earlier this season he would fire Coughlin at year’s end but changed his mind after recent days. It would appear the grievance ruling accelerated this timetable. Khan added that GM Dave Caldwell and HC Doug Marrone will report directly to him for the time being.

“I determined earlier this fall that making this move at the conclusion of the 2019 season would be in everyone’s best interests but, in recent days, I reconsidered and decided to make this change immediately,” Khan said. “I thank Tom for all his efforts, not only over the past three years but for all he did from our very first season, 25 years ago, to put the Jacksonville Jaguars on the map.”

Khan hired Coughlin in January 2017, stripping some of Caldwell’s powers to bring the longtime Giants HC into the fold. After Caldwell’s first four years as GM did not produce any winning seasons, the Coughlin-Caldwell tandem installed Marrone as the team’s full-time HC. The Jaguars went 10-6 and came as close to reaching a Super Bowl as they had in their 25-year history, losing a lead late in the 2017 AFC championship game.

On the field, the Jaguars have gone 10-20 since. Off the field, matters have been worse. Players were fined hundreds of thousands of dollars during offseasons, with Dante Fowler and Leonard Fournette confirming they filed grievances against Coughlin. The old-school leader also was the driving force behind Jalen Ramsey‘s decision to request a trade earlier this season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes players had become frustrated by Coughlin’s mere presence in the building (video link). While the disciplinarian adapted in New York, winning over the Giants and guiding them to two Super Bowls, Coughlin’s methods did not go over well with a younger crop of players in Jacksonville.

Marrone looks like a Black Monday candidate, and although Caldwell has managed to avoid ouster rumors, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes (via Twitter) Jags coaches and scouts have inquired about other jobs for weeks. Quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich landed another CFL head coaching job last week. Caldwell made the Blake Bortles draft pick in 2014 and, along with Coughlin, authorized a 2018 extension for the embattled quarterback. The Jaguars, who selected Fournette over Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes in Coughlin’s first draft, took a $16.5MM dead-money hit to cut Bortles this year. Neither Marrone nor Caldwell, however, are locks to be fired, Rapoport adds.