Leonard Fournette Wishes to Join an NFC Contender
Leonard Fournette‘s time with the Jacksonville Jaguars has come to a sudden close after three seasons. It has effectively put him in the open market with his next NFL stop unknown. There have been a few destinations tossed around without much immediate movement on those fronts. With that in mind, Fournette may have one team that he strongly desires to play with for the 2020 season.
Leonard Fournette released from the Jaguars
Leonard Fournette is officially out the door with the Jaguars after three seasons.
Fournette’s status with the franchise soured over the last several months after another rough year. He experienced ongoing issues that began to show during the 2018 campaign, which was also his least productive year. He dealt with injuries, a suspension, and moved to the bench during crunch time in games.
These issues only further piled on after the team voided the remaining guarantees on his rookie deal following his one-game suspension for fighting Buffalo Bills linebacker Shaq Lawson. Former Jaguars executive VP of Football Operations Tom Coughlin heavily criticized him for being “disrespectful” and “selfish” as he sat on the bench during the 2018 season finale.
He is coming off a career-high 1,152 rushing yards and 76 catches for 522 receiving yards, but that didn’t outweigh the problems the team had with him. Despite all that, Fournette may be eyeing to join one NFL team.
Leonard Fournette wants to play with the Rams
In the first couple of days since Leonard Fournette departed from Jacksonville, there haven’t been any strong links to another team.
However, that has seen some rumbling that he may be eyeing a switch to the NFC. According to Michael Fabiano of The NFL Network, he is hearing that Fournette may be interested in joining the LA Rams to play alongside close friend and former teammate Jalen Ramsey.
The two built a strong bond during their brief time together with the Jaguars. Their friendship has been quite apparent, especially after Ramsey took to social media to support Fournette after his release. It only makes sense that he wants to rejoin his close friend to play with a stable franchise that has been nearly a playoff constant under Sean McVay that includes a Super Bowl appearance.
However, the question becomes, does he fit into the Rams’ backfield in 2020?
Are the Rams an ideal fit?
The Rams have made some notable moves this offseason that includes parting ways with star running back Todd Gurley.
That alone has shifted their entire game plan with their backfield heading into the 2020 season. LA has three viable options at the running back position with veteran Malcolm Brown, second-year back Darryl Henderson, and promising rookie Cam Akers. The belief is that the team will take a similar approach to what the San Francisco 49ers have done with their running game.
There is also the opportunity for one of them to run away as the workhorse option. All that said, it doesn’t present a pressing need to pursue Leonard Fournette. The Rams want to see what they have from their young backfield if one can emerge as a cornerstone piece.
It isn’t a shot at Fournette by any means, but there isn’t a strong reason to bring him aboard. He’s a tremendous talent that can garner a starting spot for many teams with 1,000 rushing yards in his back pocket. However, the Rams are in a situation where it doesn’t call for them to bring in another running back.
On top of that, LA is limited financially, with roughly $4.2 million in salary-cap space. All that paints the picture that they will pass on the scenario if it arises.
