Leonard Fournette joins Tampa Bay Buccaneers on one-year contract, per reports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are including but one other mighty title to their backfield.

Working relief Leonard Fournette agreed to affix the group, he confirmed Wednesday on Twitter, staunch two days after he was as soon as waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars. His one-year deal carries a irascible salary of $2 million and is charge as a lot as $3.5 million, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.

The No. 4 general purchase within the 2017 NFL draft went unclaimed on waivers Tuesday, as no group opted to purchase him up on the one-year, $4.167 million deal he had closing. As a free agent, nonetheless, he swiftly realized a touchdown train.

Fournette, 25, rushed for 2,631 yards and 17 touchdowns in three seasons with the Jaguars. In 2019, he had a profession year with 1,152 rushing yards and 76 catches for 522 yards.

Irrespective of that, the Jaguars had been unable to come to a decision up any takers on the alternate marketplace for Fournette, coach Doug Marrone talked about. Marrone added that the group did now not element in off-the-discipline incidents — including one suspension by the group in 2017 for lacking a group photo and one other by the NFL in 2018 for combating the Buffalo Bills’ Shaq Lawson — into its technique to phase systems with the working relief.

Fournette becomes the most fresh marquee resolve to affix the Buccaneers’ backfield in an offseason fashioned by quarterback Tom Brady’s arrival. While returning incumbent starter Ronald Jones, the Buccaneers moreover selected Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn within the third spherical of the NFL draft and signed former LeSean McCoy in July. Vaughn spent two weeks away from the group whereas on the COVID-19 reserve checklist.

While coach Bruce Arians has praised Jones and known as him the “most predominant guy” at working relief, Fournette would be poised to danger the third-year relief for carries on first and 2nd down. Dare Ogunbowale is anticipated to enjoy a job on passing downs.

The Buccaneers finished 24th within the NFL final season in rushing with 95.1 yards per game, though the third-ranked general offense was as soon as led by the league’s prime passing attack (302.8 yards per game). 

Note Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.