Playoff Lenny’s Stock Is Up
February 15th, 2021
Playoff Lenny.
If nothing else, Playoff Lenny’s street cred went up just after a quality one-liner.
Now we know why the Jags suck. They dumped Playoff Lenny, otherwise known as “Leonard Fournette,” and effectively labeled him both a bust and a cancer.
All Playoff Lenny did was come to Tamp and rehab both his street cred and his football career, and won a Super Bowl with park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, trophy-throwing Bucs Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady, Bucco Bruce Arians and the Bucs.
As a result, NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew, a former Jags running back himself, believes Playoff Lenny is going to make some bread on the free agent market.
After a disappointing regular season for the former No. 4 overall pick, Fournette’s stock shot up in Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl run. “Playoff Lenny” amassed 448 scrimmage yards in four postseason games to lead all players and capped it all off with a season-high 135 scrimmage yards in Super Bowl LV. He was one of the game’s X-factors, just like I said he’d be. Though Fournette could be in line for another one-year, prove-it deal, there’s a real chance he makes a splash in free agency after leaving no doubt that he’s still a physical, explosive force.
With Shaq Barrett and Chris Godwin needing to get paid, and the common sense to keep Ryan Succop, Joe doesn’t know if the Bucs will have enough Team Glazer loot to keep both Lavonte David and Leonard Fournette (but, hey, if your accountant/capologist is as smart as what the people claim he is, then he can play with numbers enough to find a way to keep David (which Joe admits will be a nice trick).
Joe sure as heck would love to see Playoff Lenny return but Joe’s not holding his breath. Inexpensive veteran free agent running backs will be available.
Think about it. Free agents will want to come here after watching the Bucs manhandle the Chiefs, guys getting coached up by respectable assistants, and then having a Duran Duran/rap music video of a boat parade to celebrate a Super Bowl win topless in 80 degree weather — when the rest of the country is locked indoors by a polar vortex.
One free agent who might jump on the Bucs bandwagon? Le’Veon Bell. And we know he likes riding personal watercraft in warm climates.
And of course, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht could always draft Travis Etienne at No. 32.
It’s so hot out here the sun got me seeing things 😂😂😂😂 I thought JPP had all his fingers just now
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) February 10, 2021
February 15th, 2021 at 12:09 am
Bring Lenny back PLEASE!!! We need him again for this 2 in a row….
And Travis will be gone by 20-25…..but you never know.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:12 am
Lenny didn’t prove himself all year ! Plus he was getting into the Lenny Funk when he underperformed in the middle of the year as you said yourself Joe, Ba could only calm him by assuring him of the teams chances.
He poured it on in the playoffs yes. But we need someone who has the motivation in games 1-16, not just if we make the playoffs.
We are likely better spending the limited money on people who aren’t head cases and can self motivate even during rough times.
This is possibly a swaggy baker type , or maybe more a Michael Johnson. Once he gets his big contract will he have enough grit and internal drive to produce ?
February 15th, 2021 at 12:24 am
There is no way David leaves Bucs. It just ain’t gonna happen. Lenny might, but David is staying.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:29 am
Lenny was a GREAT depth piece. But if Rojo didn’t get COVID and have surgery it would of been Rojo starting those games. I’d love to keep Fournette but I think ball will be in his court depending on the $$ He is offered in FA. One guy id like to see us pair with TB12 is Jame White. We NEED a pass-catching back in the worst way to help TB12’s dump pass keep the drive alive plays we are accustomed to.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:58 am
Draft a running back high this year and let Lenny get paid. Then we get a comp pick. That’s what all the best franchises do
February 15th, 2021 at 1:02 am
James white would be an amazing addition no doubt, of all the free agents I think godwin and David are the most important please find a way to keep them
February 15th, 2021 at 1:14 am
I doubt they can afford to keep him, and frankly him and Rojo are very similar players, except Rojo can’t catch – but he’s also a lot cheaper. Sign a dedicated 3rd down passing back like Charles Sims, and the Bucs should be set. Also I said sign, not draft, 3rd down backs are super cheap and I don’t want a rookie pass blocking for Brady.
Also we should all hope that Vaughn shows up ready to play a lot. He really didn’t get much playing time and the playoff fumble sunk his chances for getting more carries, but that should reset. He didn’t show much, but neither did Rojo his rookie year.
February 15th, 2021 at 2:20 am
I think the cold hard reality is that we are going to be picked apart in FA. We are not in a bad spot financially cap-wise. But we have WAY too many unrestricted free agents this year, and a lot of our guys performed above expectations. So their stock values are inflated. And we have a cap number that isn’t going to go up. It’s just a mathematical reality. We won’t be able to keep everyone.
February 15th, 2021 at 4:14 am
Hey joe a dark mode on this site would be awesome or pewter background white or red text. I love Lenny but I believe rojo with a full offseason with Brady will be unbelievable!
February 15th, 2021 at 6:09 am
He showed signs of being a cancer with the Bucs. BA had to ask him do you want me to cut you nuff said!!!!
February 15th, 2021 at 6:12 am
I figured Fournette would be one and done in Tampa, the same situation as Thomas Jones in the Bucs 2003 season.
February 15th, 2021 at 6:21 am
As far as the Bucs drafting a RB in the 1st Round, I doubt it. Arians has said he doesn’t value RB’s as much as other positions. Maybe sign James White in free agency, and look for a James Robinson-type (Jaguars undrafted free agent) late in the draft. I remember Sean Sullivan saying he liked Robinson, and was right about him.
February 15th, 2021 at 6:58 am
Kareem hunt had way more baggage and made 6 mil last year
So that would be his absolute bottom line home town discount
Even melvin gordon got 8 mil per year so i think he gets something in that range
So i think he is gone
Clemson running back , alabama running back and NC running back will go right around our pick- before, during and after. And all 3 have good/great hands. Thats what brady needs as safety valve. Playoff lenny helped get us a championship but his hands were just ok. Better then rojo but not saying much.
Bucs need to focus on defense. Mahommes was the most pressured qb in nfl super bowl history at around 60 % of his drop backs. Sorry lenny.
February 15th, 2021 at 6:59 am
If ROJO had better hands, he could be our Alvin Kamura.
I would like to see us keep Lenny, but we won’t be able to keep everyone.
I agree with Rod Munch that we sure don’t need a rookie running back protecting Brady.
February 15th, 2021 at 7:04 am
Hard Decision Coming for Players and GM. Bitter Pills to Swallow for Fans.
Brady helps create WRs “names” on National Stage. I will miss Godwin. Gronk stays for lesser amount than last year. AB will show his ass for a bit and want a big payday, then settle for less. MIller, Johnson, and low totem pole WRs will move up the depth chart with Brady as QB. This always happened in New England. Don’t forget we have a very physically gifted TE named OJ howard who will explode with Brady throwing to him.
SHaq Barret will stay, and take a slightly lesser amount than elsewhere, but not much.
LVD take a home town discount but still gets his money.
Suh will have a butter pill to swallow with less money than he wants but his age is going to be a very strong argument against him.
Playoff Lenny will definitely test the market and get paid. He wants paid because RBs only have so many miles on their tires.
February 15th, 2021 at 7:13 am
Godwin won’t go anywhere. You don’t want that guy playing against you. If anyone leaves it will be Brown and Fournette. David will stay. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Brady restructure a little to help makes things work for his last hurrah.
February 15th, 2021 at 7:47 am
PA Privateer … Excellent analysis. Much as I love having Godwin on the team, keeping him would require some cuts on the defensive side of the ball, and that’s not gonna happen. LVD, Shaq AND Suh will all be re-signed, as will Nunez-Roches & Minter as a minimum.
I’d love to see us keep Fournette, but like you said “RBs only have so many miles on their tires” and he’ll need to cash-in. Bucs don’t have the free cash to pay him.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:08 am
Appreciate what Fournette did in playoffs, but unless he’s willing to stay for the cheap, he’s gone. Some team will over pay for him, and hopefully the Bucs don’t match.
Only one team who is paying a RB top 10 money, made the playoffs this year (Titans).
You don’t over pay for RBs!!
February 15th, 2021 at 8:20 am
RoJo has no “nose” for the goal line or the 1st down marker. He is grat in space with more violent running this year, more wiggle, more spin, more aggression to hit the hole, but he gets “soft” at the goal line AND at the edge of the First down marker. We don’t win the SB with just him.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:23 am
Capologist? Good new term. We need a great one.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:27 am
LVD is a more important piece than shaq. When Vea went down LVD was still effective. Most of the time Shaq dissapeared. You do not break up the best duo of line backers in the NFL.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:53 am
Hopefully TB will be tossing balls to Rojo all off-season and he will learn to catch. He can get better with repetition.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:55 am
Out of all of our free agents, I believe Lenny is the odd man out.
He had a brilliant run during the post season, and was a major X factor… but Joe is right, you can find quality running backs on the cheap much easier than finding elite pass rushers, linebackers, or wide receiver.
Toss in the funk the Lenny showed during the regular season, and it doesn’t look good for him remaining a Buc.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:57 am
If Licht drafts Travis Etienne at 32,with a 2nd round and 3rd round picks already on the roster at RB, I’ll be triggered.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:00 am
There’s a very real chance the cap will not fall if this TV deal gets done. If that’s the case, we’ll be able to keep everyone but maybe Fournette.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:00 am
If this past season proved anything it’s that running backs are a dime a dozen. We have two good ones on the roster now that aren’t costing a lot. Unless Fournette comes for cheap….well thanks for your contribution and good luck in your future endeavors.
February 15th, 2021 at 9:43 am
Etienne will not be there at 32, but I like the idea.
February 15th, 2021 at 10:48 am
He’ll be gone.
February 15th, 2021 at 11:03 am
Good call, Joe! Bucs will be picking at the prime spot for a top tier running back. Replace Lenny with another Louisiana RB. I love it!
February 15th, 2021 at 11:28 am
Please be aware that this kind of stuff happened all the time up in Foxboro; guys cashing in after a successful run. Just wish them well and move on. So, what happened; what were the results to all of that? Let me answer this question with a question: How many times did the Patriots (with Brady) keep winning? Not once, not twice, more than three, four, five times. Interestingly, people freak out when the same team is not lining up the following year…as though the same team will win it every year. What I saw- year after year -was this: the team would often improve. This Tampa team has not hit its stride, yet. Brady will spread it around, and not necessarily the same way every game…like that Super Bowl game. Evans and Godwin were doubled. Would you have been happier if TB12 forced the ball to them (for stat appeal) and lost? Do what you have to do to win! Remember: other teams are changing, as well; shuffles the deck. Bottom line: who is healthy and who is peaking in December/Jan? (That’s thinking like a winner.)
February 15th, 2021 at 11:29 am
We can get the same type of production from Mark Ingram.
February 15th, 2021 at 12:08 pm
Please stop saying running backs are a dime a dozen. Bucs history shows they clearly are not!
February 15th, 2021 at 12:27 pm
It helps to sign the right guys.
February 15th, 2021 at 1:31 pm
Fournette has a lot more physical talent than he does mental talent. If that guy wasn’t such a, I can’t use the word here, he would be a perennial top-4 RB in the NFL.
I really like what he can do–SOMETIMES–but still, RoJo > Fournette right now, and I think we could definitely replace Lenny.
February 15th, 2021 at 8:54 pm
Joe if u think ettien will be there at 32 then ur dumber than I thought.
BTW… U still slurppin on Jaymiss?
February 15th, 2021 at 8:57 pm
Joe if u think Travis ettien will be there at 32 then ur dumber than I thought. BTW.. U still slurppin on Jaymiss?
February 16th, 2021 at 12:41 am
I hear he doesn’t want to split carries with RoJo. I like LF but of this is the case he should see what his market is imo. My only issue is that RoJo sometimes fumbles but I guess he can work on it. Power run and ball security what else can you ask for. Unless there’s a trade value for RoJo and LF takes friendly deal with incentives. Then maybe