It’s been nearly two full calendar years since Leonard Fournette, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars, started an NFL game. Fournette last suited up in 2023 as a member of the Buffalo Bills, but the AFC East club authored his release after two appearances. However, on Tuesday, reports surfaced that the former 2017 first-round pick isn’t ready to hang up his cleats just yet.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Fournette will attempt to sign with an NFL team before the start of the 2024 campaign. Outside Fournette, the 2017 NFL draft is still a cradle of competition, particularly in the running back position. Joe Mixon, Christian McCaffrey, James Conner, and Alvin Kamara, among others, are still making their mark as starting rushers in the NFL.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette: Looking to Sign with NFL TeamFree agent running back Leonard Fournette received little interest last offseason before signing to the Buffalo Bills practice squad in late October. The LSU product was in limbo until late December when Buffalo elevated him to the active roster. Across two games, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers standout registered 40 rushing yards on 12 rush attempts. He did not record a target. The Bills released Fournette in early January. However, despite a lackluster showing in his age-28 season, Fournette will attempt to resurrect his career in 2024.
According to his recently hired agents Ari Nissim and Pat Capra, Fournette is physically ready to contribute to an NFL roster. “Leonard’s in the best shape of his career, and I expect he will have a new home soon,” said his agents, per Adam Schefter. The six-foot, 230-pound back has accumulated 1,144 rushing attempts across seven professional seasons.
Fournette: Longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers Standout
Leonard Fournette did little to inspire confidence during his time with the Buffalo Bills last season. However, Fournette played a significant role with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2020 to 2022. Tampa Bay acquired Fournette following his release from the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he spent three seasons and eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards twice. Fournette ran for 367 yards and six touchdowns during his inaugural season in the NFC South while playing second fiddle behind fellow rusher Ronald Jones II. Fournette shined in the postseason, rushing for 300 yards and three scores en route to Tampa Bay winning the Super Bowl.
Fournette’s regular season numbers improved in the following two seasons, rushing for 1,480 yards and 11 touchdowns in 30 games. Additionally, he caught 142 passes for 977 yards and five scores during that stretch. The Louisiana native rushed for another two scores in the postseason from 2021 to 2022. He finished his Tampa Bay career with 672 scrimmage yards and six scores across six playoff games.
