Leonard Fournette signing with Buffalo Bills
Running back Leonard Fournette has found a new team. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers tailback plans to sign with the Buffalo Bills.
“BREAKING: Leonard Fournette tells me he’s in Buffalo and is planning to sign with the #Bills today, pending a physical,” Schultz reported.
Fournette previously spent the last three seasons in Tampa Bay. The former first-round selection out of LSU had been an unsigned free agent, but has apparently found a new home.
This will be Fournette’s first time playing with an NFL team outside of Florida. He spent the first three seasons of his career (2017-19) with the Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Bucs ahead of the 2020 season.
Fournette proved to be an effective weapon as a rusher and as a receiver out of the backfield for the Buccaneers. Last season, he accounted for 668 rushing yards, 523 receiving yards and six total touchdowns.
Over the course of his NFL career, Fournette has piled up 4,478 rushing yards, 2,219 receiving yards and scored a total of 41 touchdowns.
Buffalo recently posted a 24-18 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday Night Football. The Bills improved to 5-3 on the year with an important matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals upcoming.
Fournette expected to join Bills practice squad
Whether or not Fournette works his way onto the 53-man roster remains to be seen. According to initial reports, the running back has agreed to a deal to join Buffalo’s practice squad.
So far this season, the Bills have leaned heavily on James Cook as the primary ball-carrier. He’s rushed for 486 yards and a touchdown on 102 carries. Josh Allen has scored five rushing touchdowns.
Latavius Murray has been the second guy out of the backfield for Buffalo this season, accounting for 143 rushing yards and reaching the end zone once. But the short-yardage back has found some woes this year.
In Buffalo’s last four games, Murray accounted for 13 goal-line carries. He was unable to punch it into the end zone on any of those attempts. Could Fournette potentially be the guy who the Bills rely on in those type of situations?
Though Fournette hasn’t played yet this season, he could still potentially be a nice weapon out of the backfield in Buffalo, if he gets a spot on the roster.