Ex-Jags Pro Bowl Tackle Talks Leonard Fournette
September 3rd, 2020
New Bucs RB Leonard Fournette
So why was new Bucs stud running back Leonard Fournette available, and what kind of player is he?
Legions of Bucs fans are thinking about that this morning as they inhale Pop-Tarts and avocado toast after a sleepless night of Bucs fantasies.
After Fournette was cut this week, former Jaguars Pro Bowl offensive tackle Leon Searcy joined SiriusXM NFL Radio to talk all things Fournette. Searcy, a 1992 first-round pick of the Steelers, is a member of Jacksonville sports media and spoke of visiting Jaguars training camp this season.
“You see Leonard Fournette, He’s talking all the reps at the 1s, and everybody knows how valuable those reps are, and then you cut him two weeks before the season starts doesn’t make any sense to me,” Searcy said.
Searcy was perplexed why the Jaguars held Fournette so long if they planned on dumping him. In addition to looking pretty good in camp, Searcy said the Jaguars cost Fournette a chance to make an immediate impact with a new team and denied other Jags running backs valuable practice time with the first team.
As for Fournette the player and the man, Searcy was adamant that Fournette’s diverse skill set makes him a fit with any team, and he claimed Fournette was a changed man in 2019.
“I think Leonard had his issues early on in his career. He had maturity issues, he had staying-healthy issues, he had coming-in-shape issues, but last year he turned that all around,” Searcy said. “Leonard was a leader on this team last year. Listen, Gardner Minshew doesn’t have the success that he has at quarterback if you don’t have anyone in the backfield that can run the ball.
“Another thing that’s not taken into consideration is Leonard Fournette’s ability to pick up the blitz. I mean, Leonard was very, very renowned in picking up blitzes and being physical against linebackers or safeties when they came. So he was a big part of Gardnew Minshew’s development, being able to have the running game and in there and also picking up blitzes.”
Yes, the Buccaneers now have a three-down running back with raw power, speed and experience.
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:48 am
I suspect that Fournette will adapt quickly and will play in New Orleans…..
We need that back who can get us 2 yards on 3rd & 2……
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:49 am
What a great potential pickup, he’s going to work hard to get a new deal here or elsewhere imo. Like the part about his blocking skills on 3rd down; I was concerned about that with our current rb’s.
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:49 am
Boom! Any word on the jersey number? Is he in Tampa?
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:53 am
Ok, now we go after Earl Thomas.
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:54 am
you can just go ahead and cut or trade ROJO at this point.
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:56 am
Earl Thomas is a locker room cancer
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:57 am
I am having a hard time thinking of a weak spot on our roster. If you asked me a few days ago, it would have been RB followed by a safety.
I guess the only concern now will be when we have injuries to key players. Hopefully this will not happen often.
If you look at our second string roster, we are in pretty good shape. Crazy to see how much our roster has improved since last year.
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:59 am
What an awesome pickup for us! Devin White and Fournette are great friends, and will push each other.
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:10 am
“For over 8 months Kobe Faker has been adamant that the team building around TB12 was flawed
No QB in the last 20 years has thrown to RBs more than TB12
Brady throws to RBs in the 1st and 2and down and setups the deep passing game when the defense has to play closer and tighter
Kobe Faker has come around
Jason Gump,
Please forgive me , Kobe Faker has sinned”
Kobe Farwel Faker
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:16 am
At this point it seems like the only hope for ROJOs Bucs future is if he can develop into a quality pass catcher.
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:21 am
Yehaw
I think ROJO will have an equally great if not better year than Fournette. He’s going to be hard to supplant at that RB1
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:25 am
Hey Joe go on twitter and see what Thomas Bassinger is saying.
Dude is being an outright clown.
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:35 am
If Rojo starts week 1 it will be his job to lose.
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:52 am
Bassingers an idiot. I’ll never understand why so many of these so called “beat writers” appear to hate the teams they cover.
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:56 am
As stated here, he had maturity issues. Should be behind him now – with a little help from his (new) friends. I (now) really like this addition. Only issue is – too many RBs.
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:00 am
It’s not even that he hates on them. He tries to play himself up as a truth seeking journalist but in reality he is just a key board warrior.
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:03 am
What did this guy just say, did he just say that a running game helps the quarterback? But I’ve been told all along by the great Joe Bucs fan posters that the quarterback had to do it all by himself and the running game doesn’t matter or help one bit in the success of the offense, this can’t be true can it?
You mean having a running game to take the pressure off the quarterback and not be as predictable actually helps?
WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE!?!?!?!!!??!?!?!
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:06 am
Ndog keep crying and cope.
I thought you were gone go back to being gone it was a lot nicer around here.
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:06 am
I wasn’t for Fournette but now that he’s coming I’m stoked. For all you thinking RoJos gone settle in. He will be here a while. Looking like week one is gona be a whoopin. Playoffs?? We talking about winning week one!
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:06 am
Can you spell excited Joe?
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:21 am
You guys just can’t stand they’re proving me right with all their actions can you?
September 3rd, 2020 at 11:32 am
NDog’s mouth is sore from slurping on JayMiss! Took a quick break to type!!
September 3rd, 2020 at 12:43 pm
tbbucs3 Says:
September 3rd, 2020 at 10:16 am
At this point it seems like the only hope for ROJOs Bucs future is if he can develop into a quality pass catcher.
Why? He’s on a low rookie cap deal next year as well as second rounder. He played really well, the second half. At least showed lots of improvement.
September 3rd, 2020 at 12:47 pm
NDOG also said JW would get a huge offseason deal, probably with the Pats..never came close to happening for any team!
Instead Peyton Barber the awful RB, got a better deal with Washington as a backup and signing bonus. Oh the irony, please carry on how smart you are NDOG. Just pure lol excitement.
September 3rd, 2020 at 1:02 pm
I am excited for power runs left and right with a pulling Cappa or Marpet leading the way!
You thought the screen game was coming back with just Tommy! Then we added Shady! Now we have a legit, dual-threat backfield on any given play!
Leonard also has good size! He may not be Michael Pittman thick, but he’s not short like Doug Martin (height and T-rex arms killed passing to him out of the backfield) and he doesn’t have the chicken legs of 2017-2018 ROJO (no break tackle power).
I am excited to see what type of plays that Arians and Company can scheme with both Fournette and Shady on the field. Not to mention Mike Evans, Godwin, and Gronkowski…
September 3rd, 2020 at 1:24 pm
What hasn’t been observed yet is Evans and Godwin are great run blocking WR.
Gronk was the highest graded blocking TE and he’s mentoring OJ (Gronk v2).
You won’t be able to stop our 2TE sets. Run, pass, screen. We can do it all.
September 3rd, 2020 at 2:22 pm
Ndog fat liar…..I’ve read every comment on this site ever. Nobody’s never said that. Ever. Not never.
It’s kinda funny because Winston broke you as a fan. He was too much for you to handle.
Lucky for you it’s easy to make up an excuse…..But really it’s sad because of how dumb you look…..You are a broken fan that’s been proven wrong. You refuse to accept the truth that he was demoted for mistake riddled football. You wont accept the fact he is irreverent and pitifully try to keep him relevant. We upgraded you was proven wrong and you just cant handle that fact………What a sad life you gonna luve for the next entire year plus.
September 3rd, 2020 at 2:24 pm
And in some deranged way you think you been proven right. I have pity for you bro.
September 3rd, 2020 at 2:24 pm
Excellent points Sly
September 3rd, 2020 at 2:43 pm
Howard has been an outspoken critic of scheme Glazer for a long long long time. But now Howard feels as though he’s living in an alternate universe where the Glazers are the best owners in the NFL!
Howard guesses that that is mostly due to the “Brady effect”….but to give credit where credit is due….the Glazers brought Brady here (just like they’re also ultimately responsible for the teams putrid suckage in recent years)….
Howard just hopes that the Glazers don’t have some surreptitious end in mind like moving the team or demanding huge community investment. Howard hopes that they’re doing this just to make up for the years of suckage….but knowing the Glazers, that is unlikely…they always have a scheme
September 3rd, 2020 at 3:05 pm
Earlier today in another post Joe wrote something that I have said since day one as a Bucs fan, (I’m paraphrasing here) and that is that I am a fan of the team, not of a specific player. I favor the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back. Sure, I can cheer a player for playing great, but it is the long-term success of the TEAM that I’m interested in. Yet so many Bucs “fans” are more interested in either being correct with their unlearned assertions, or are blind homers for their favorite universities’ latest star player. Either way, it’s a lame existence.
September 3rd, 2020 at 4:07 pm
I honestly would have loved to see JW w a running game, stacked D and this wealth of riches and o-line myself. I said this at top of year BEFORE Brady that this was a 10-6 team this year w Winston before Draft.
Nevertheleas past is just that past…. Anything less than 12-4 and NFC Champ game will be a dissapointment.
Go Bucs!!
September 3rd, 2020 at 4:51 pm
FactTeller:
What your possibly missing is Suh may have signed w SF, Gronk may still be retired, Fournette elsewhere, etc. Winston doesn’t have pull like Brady, or even close to the leadership..
September 3rd, 2020 at 5:14 pm
“We need that back who can get us 2 yards on 3rd & 2……”
He is a back that can get you a TD on 3rd and 2! From anywhere on the field!
September 3rd, 2020 at 7:20 pm
Earl Thomas would be a bad fit imo. We have some good young safeties. Fournette is a great pickup on a cheap contract. He will have a chip on his shoulder and be ready to go. RB is now one of our deepest positions and as much as I like Rojo, Fournette will be our #1 RB. Shady can be a change of pace but Fournette can do it all. He just has to stay healthy. He should since he’s actually in shape. His #s last season would be enough to put us over the top this year
September 3rd, 2020 at 9:06 pm
Let’s ride!!!