The anticipated signing of former Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette comes with its share of positives and negatives for the Buccaneers. There is no question that Fournette is a weapon when healthy, as he’s posted two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his three years in the NFL since entering the league as the fourth overall pick by Jacksonville in 2017.

Fournette rushed for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 3.9 yards per carry as a rookie, helping lead the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game before losing in New England thanks to some late-game heroics from Tom Brady, who engineered a come-from-behind win for the Patriots. Fournette rushed for 242 yards and four touchdowns in three playoff games, while averaging 3.5 yards per carry.

After a disappointing second season in Jacksonville where he played in just eight games and rushed for 439 yards and five scores with a 3.3 average, Fournette rebounded last year and ran for a career-high 1,152 yards and three scores, while averaging 4.3 yards per carry.

Former Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So why was Jacksonville so quick to give up on not just a first-round selection, but a Top 5 pick, after just three seasons? Character concerns was a big reason.

In fact, Jacksonville had been trying to trade Fournette during the offseason, first around the 2020 NFL Draft, and then more recently when the team was ready to waive him, which happened on Wednesday after the Jaguars couldn’t even find a team that was willing to part ways with him for a seventh-round pick.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who covers the Jaguars, brought some of those concerns to light just ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft back in late April.

“Fournette presents some challenges because it’s not the production – he’s a good player, he will have a market – his talks will intensify in the coming days leading up to the draft,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “But there are some character concerns. He’s had some issues with coaches there in Jacksonville. So I’m told, from people who have worked with him, if you go into a new locker room, there could be some problems, potentially.”

In 2018, Fournette was suspended one game by the NFL for an altercation with Buffalo defensive end Shaq Lawson that caused both players to be ejected in a 24-21 win by the Bills over the Jaguars.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan explained the reason for Fournette’s suspension in the following statement: “Sportsmanship is the cornerstone of the game and the League will not tolerate game-related misconduct that conveys a lack of respect for the game itself and those involved in it… Video of the incident shows that you were not a participant in the play and that you ran from your sideline to the opposite side of the field to insert yourself as an active participant in a fight. Once you entered the fight area, you struck a member of the opposing team. Your actions adversely reflected on the NFL and have no place in the game.”

That incident caused things to spiral for Fournette in Jacksonville, as he fell out of favor with former executive vice president Tom Coughlin, who ruled that the suspension voided any remaining guarantees in the LSU product’s contract. The next week after an embarrassing lost to Tennessee during Fournette’s suspension, he was caught on camera yelling at a fan in the stands, saying he was going to “beat your ass” before he was escorted away.

In the season finale at Jacksonville, Fournette was seen appearing disinterested on the bench with fellow running back T.J. Yeldon, which drew Coughlin’s ire. Coughlin issued a rare public rebuke of Fournette’s actions, as such comments and disciplinary measures are often kept in-house by NFL teams.

“I am disappointed in the behavior today from T.J. Yeldon and Leonard Fournette,” Coughlin said. “They were disrespectful, selfish and their behavior was unbecoming that of a professional football player.”

Former Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Yeldon didn’t return to Jacksonville last year, and while Coughlin was fired soon afterwards, it is believed that Fournette and head coach Doug Marrone had clashed on multiple occasions over the past three years.

Fournette was even suspended one game by the Jaguars during his rookie season in 2017 for missing the team picture day at the stadium photo shoot on October 24.

So why would the Bucs take on a potential headache, just to bolster its backfield? There are several reasons.

First, Fournette needs a change of scenery. Jacksonville went from an AFC powerhouse in 2017 with a 10-6 record to an absolute dumpster fire over the next two seasons, as the Jaguars went 5-11 the next season and 6-10 last year. The team’s top players that helped the Jaguars reach the AFC Championship Game – Fournette, Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Pro Bowl defensive ends Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue – have all been jettisoned.

Sure, Fournette contributed to his own problems, but there is something in the water that just isn’t right in Jacksonville, and Coughlin wasn’t there in 2019 to take any of the blame. Don’t be surprised if Marrone is the next to get axed.

In Tampa Bay, the Bucs have a head coach who has been perennially praised and respected by his players while still showing them tough love on a consistent basis. The combination of discipline, structure and mutual respect in Arians’ coaching style should be exactly what Fournette needs if he is to turn around his NFL career.

At age 25, Fournette is still in his prime and has some maturing to do. The Bucs have a strong veteran presence in the locker room led by quarterback Tom Brady and outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul, who set the standard for excellence and hold their teammates accountable. There are other strong, mature leaders in Tampa Bay too, including linebacker Lavonte David, and players like wide receiver Mike Evans, guard Ali Marpet and center Ryan Jensen that can help keep Fournette in line.

Former LSU RB Leonard Fournette – Photo by: Getty Images

Fournette also played one year with Bucs inside linebacker Devin White at LSU, and veteran reserve inside linebacker Kevin Minter, another LSU grad, is a great mentor for young players. That LSU familiarity should aid Fournette’s transition to Tampa Bay.

Fournette should also be motivated to turn his NFL career around. Right now he’s on a one-year, prove-it deal with the Buccaneers, and has every incentive to be both a model citizen and a productive football player in order to cash in on his next contract – whether it’s in Tampa Bay or elsewhere in 2021. Fournette is only making $2 million in base salary with the Bucs with a maximum value of $3.5 million in 2020. If he winds up being a problem the team can cut him at any time with no cap penalties.

A bad year by Fournette in his first season with the Bucs could be his last in Tampa Bay – or elsewhere – if his character issues continue and aren’t left behind in Jacksonville. Helping the Bucs’ backfield, which currently consists of Ronald Jones II, LeSean McCoy, Dare Ogunbowale and rookies Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Raymond Calais, propel the Bucs to the playoffs in 2020 would help Fournette’s brand immensely heading into free agency next March.