Leonard Fournette News

According to Tom Pelissero, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly plan to release running back Leonard Fournette on March 15th. Despite signing a three-year contract last offseason, Fournette will become a free agent when the new league year starts next month. Expect Rachaad White to take over Tampa Bay's backfield while Fournette searches for starting role with other teams. On 262 touches last season, Fournette ranked 47th among runnings back with a 68.0 Pro Football Focus offensive rating while also accounting for 1,192 scrimmage yards, six total touchdowns, 15 forced missed tackles, and 2.31 yards after contact per attempt.

Fournette signed a three-year, $21 million extension with the Bucs last offseason, but Tampa Bay is blowing things up with Tom Brady calling it a career. Fournette turned 28 last month and is coming off a down year where he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and rushed for three touchdowns. His release opens the door for second-year RB Rachaad White to take over lead-back duties for the Bucs.

Fournette's season ended with a whimper Monday night, but he showed plenty during a successful regular season where he also went without a single fumble for the third time in his career. Fournette did average only 3.5 yards per carry while usually running behind an injury-hampered offensive line, but he should have a good chance of returning to Tampa Bay in 2023 considering his diverse skill set and the fact he carries what would be considered a relatively reasonable $8.5 million cap number for next season.

Fournette's minimal playing time was by design as head coach Todd Bowles opted to give his bruising back's legs some much-needed rest ahead of the postseason. Rookie backfield Rachaad White saw slightly more work with four carries across 10 snaps, and both backs could work in a near-even timeshare during Monday night's wild-card clash against the Cowboys.

Fournette's production left plenty to be desired from an efficiency standpoint, and he also logged two fewer touches than rookie backfield mate Rachaad White. Nevertheless, as recent weeks have shown, either back can set the pace in that regard in any given game, and it remains to be seen what the usage of each will be in the Week 18 road clash against the Falcons.

Fournette was arguably the Buccaneers' MVP on the night, as it was his work during an early fourth-quarter drive in particular that sparked Tampa Bay's comeback from a 10-point deficit. The veteran bruiser's 44-yard catch-and-run play on the first play of that possession helped set up an eventual Rachaad White three-yard touchdown catch, and Fournette subsequently helped position the ball for Ryan Succop's game-winning field goal in overtime on his last two carries. His reception and receiving yardage totals also led the Bucs on the night, and he tied with Chris Godwin for the tops in targets. Fournette should be in line for another voluminous role in a critical Week 17 home clash against the Panthers that could decide the NFC South title.