Signing Fournette gives Brady another weapon
WASHINGTON — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continued to add to the list of prominent players surrounding quarterback Tom Brady on their offence by reaching a deal on Wednesday with running back Leonard Fournette, who found a new NFL home after being released this week by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fournette joins a suddenly crowded Buccaneers backfield that also includes fellow running backs Ronald Jones and LeSean McCoy. Fournette confirmed the agreement with the Buccaneers on Twitter. The one-year contract reportedly can be worth as much as US$3.5 million, including incentives.
The Buccaneers signed Brady, who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, in free agency in March. They later added former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to an offensive mix that also includes wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate.
Now Brady has a potential centrepiece runner at his disposal as he tries to make the Buccaneers a legitimate NFC contender in a season when the Super Bowl is to be played in Tampa. Fournette had a career best 1,152 rushing yards last season. He ran for 2,631 yards and 17 touchdowns in three seasons with Jacksonville after being selected with the fourth choice in the 2017 NFL draft.
Fournette wore out his welcome in Jacksonville even with last season’s production, and the Jaguars failed in their attempts to trade him before releasing him on Monday. He wasn’t claimed on waivers, making him a free agent.
The Jaguars signalled their lack of commitment to Fournette in May when they declined to pick up the fifthyear option in his rookie contract. Fournette was suspended for one game by the NFL in November 2018 for an on-field altercation with Buffalo Bills linebacker Shaq Lawson. Fournette reportedly has filed a grievance seeking to regain more than $4.1 million in previously guaranteed salary voided by the Jaguars after his suspension.
Former Jaguars executive Tom Coughlin accused Fournette and fellow running back T.J Yeldon of “disrespectful, selfish” behaviour “unbecoming of a professional football player” for allegedly looking disinterested in the game while on the sideline during a loss to the Houston Texans to end the 2018 season.
Fournette was injured and on the inactive list for the game. Coughlin fined Fournette $99,000, but Fournette and the NFL Players Association got the fine rescinded.