Big news hit late on Wednesday night as Ian Rapoport has reported that the Tampa Bay Bucs have reached an agreement with recent free agent running back Leonard Fournette.
The #Bucs and RB Leonard Fournette have an agreement in principle, source said. And Tom Brady has a new RB. A big-time one.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 3, 2020
Fournette cannot sign with the Bucs until Sunday after he passes COVID Protocol. The Bucs don’t have to restructure their salary cap until that time. He also confirmed the move with his own social media post.
.@Buccaneers ✍🏾 #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/IEX9jXHQAf
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) September 3, 2020
Rapoport reported as well that it’s a one-year deal worth $3.5 million, which is the max value that the Bucs could give. His base salary will be $2 million and incentives can be earned for both playing time and the amount of rush yards gained this season.
After being released on Tuesday and not getting claimed off of waivers, Albert Breer previously reported that Tampa Bay were one of the top teams in contention for him. The Bucs now added another high profile running back to their backfield.
Fournette has rushed for 2,631 yards and 17 touchdowns in his three years in Jacksonville, while averaging 4.0 yards per carry. Fournette rushed for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2017 before an injury-plagued year in 2018. The LSU product rebounded last year with a career-high 1,152-yard season and three touchdowns, while averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
Fournette joins a backfield that includes Ronald Jones II, LeSean McCoy, Dare Ogunbowale and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, where Jones was expected to be the lead back while McCoy and Ogunbowale battled for the third down role. It could be likely that Vaughn, McCoy or Ogunbowale is moved to the practice squad if the Bucs don’t take five running backs.
With Tom Brady’s knack for throwing to the running back, Fournette will be a big help to Bucs’ passing game as well. The 6-foot, 228-pound running back has caught 134 passes for 1,009 yards and two scores in his three-year NFL career, including a career-high 76 receptions for 522 yards in 2019.