Maurice Jones-Drew Rates The Value Of Leonard Fournette
March 3rd, 2021
Free agent value gauged.
From one ex-Jags running back to another, Playoff Lenny may not be that coveted.
So perhaps the Bucs may luck out? A combination of running back Playoff Lenny (Leonard Fournette) not being highly valued by other NFL clubs and perhaps his desire to stick with teammates he enjoys may be enough to keep Playoff Lenny in Tampa Bay.
Of course, Playoff Lenny is one of the Big 8 Bucs free agents. And former Jags running back Maurice Jones-Drew doesn’t think Playoff Lenny’s value will be that high this offseason.
(Joe wishes to find some gambling house offering the prop bet of which happens first: Uncle Ira licking his plate clean from a round of corned beef and cabbage or the free agency dinner bell ringing first on St. Patrick’s Day.)
In fact, when you factor in other free agent and rookie running backs, MJD has Playoff Lenny as the fifth-most valuable behind Christian McCaffery, Aaron Jones, Najee Harris and Travis Etienne.
(Yes, McCaffery is under contract with the Stinking Panthers. But MJD is convinced he’s on the trade block as the Stinking Panthers will be looking to load up on ammo to make a serious run at Deshaun Watson.)
Playoff Lenny. Lombardi Lenny. Super Bowl Lenny. I don’t care what you call him. What I do care about is the fact that the former No. 4 overall pick showed he can work through adversity and still ball out when his team needed him most. The lasting impression of Fournette heading into the offseason was his Super Bowl LV performance, in which he racked up a season-high 135 scrimmage yards to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the franchise’s second title. Fournette is still young (26 years old) and still has plenty of gas in the tank, and I’m excited to see what’s next for the rejuvenated back.
Now if Playoff Lenny was 30, Joe could see him sticking around. Even Playoff Lenny likely knows this may be his final chance to score a big payday. Joe will never forget an NFL suit once telling Joe the closer a running back gets to 30, the bigger the chance he flames out. And when he does flame out, it goes quick.
In other words, for every Adrian Peterson or Frank Gore, there are 20 Doug Martins or Cadillac Williams.
Joe wishes Playoff Lenny would stay with the Bucs. But Joe fully expects Playoff Lenny to take the money and run, and Joe doesn’t blame him one bit.
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:07 pm
I truly hope the texans are not thinking of getting rid of watson
Cause carolina will give up everything for him.
We do not need him in division for the next 5-10 years
Especially after finally kicking brees to retirement.
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:16 pm
Franchise Lenny, let CG walk (noticed looking at a SB highlight reel yesterday on YT that CG seemed to me the only one not jumping and high fives on other people’s TD’s)
We are talking about a short window for another SB run…..and that would save what 8-10 mill all while TB makes another WR a stud.
Then we could sign SB. Can’t have it all, and Lenny is the cheapest and as the most important in the stretch. They will play TB’s offense next year, and Lenny thrived in that.
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:18 pm
Still think lenny will want in 6-8 range as comparable backs got the same last year. Kareem hunt having bigger off field issues then lenny and still got 6 mil
Who is 9 on MJD list? :
James white – the guy i think will be on team next year. Look at his 2018 year i think. Ran for around 425 and 5 tds. But caught 87 balls for 751 yards and 7 tds. 12 total.
Guy caught 60, 56 , 87 and 72 balls in four different years with brady. Brady loves to dump ball off when guys down field covered. Lenny had ok hands. Rojo has stone hands. This is the right move which gives buc time to evaluate vaughn. And white could be had for 2.5 a year. Thats value.
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:26 pm
Make him a fair offer, tell him to shop around if he doesn’t like it and ask him to get back with us before accepting another offer to give us a chance to match. Also tell him we are also looking at other FA RBs and in the draft. Let’s see if he blinks. Then we’ll really know if he wants to stay a Buc or go for the $.
I don’t blame him either way — it’s just business for both sides.
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:38 pm
If Ronnie doesn’t get hurt, Lenny might have been cut, think about that. Also if Ronnie doesn’t get hurt when he does, he’s the big star in the playoffs and everyone is talking about locking him up on a long term deal. Amazing how injuries, and timing of injuries, can really change perceptions.
In any case Ronnie should be paired with a 3rd down back, the same way the Mustached Hamster was with Charles Simms. Lenny can catch, OK, but isn’t really that 3rd down back you’d want — but he is a every down back, just sort of a mediocre one who can get you good production in a good offense.
So the question is, do you just look at production, look at the tape, or go with a traditional pairing using Ronnie and a 3rd down back since Jones looked really good last year most of the time. Except when trying to catch the ball, when he had the same catching ability as my 5-year niece.
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:42 pm
I hate the thought of a third down back. makes the offense predictable. we need an every down back
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:43 pm
Trade Rojo and Playoff Lenny for McCaffery.
(Just kidding, but I can dream…)
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:57 pm
Can’t afford McCaffery and Carolina would be fools to trade him to the Bucs anyway.
March 3rd, 2021 at 2:29 pm
Robert Says:
March 3rd, 2021 at 1:16 pm
Franchise Lenny
^^^^^^^^^^
Robert: Do you realize that franchising Lenny would cost the Bucs between $10 and $11 million? If you were the Bucs GM for a day, this is something you’d actually do?
March 3rd, 2021 at 2:31 pm
If he lands a starting job then that helps us get compensatory picks. Best part about letting some of these guys walk is getting Licht more picks to work with
March 3rd, 2021 at 2:35 pm
Cadillac Williams didn’t “flame out”. He blew out his knees in horrifying fashion beginning of his 3rd year and was never the same afterwards…..
I’d rather have James White than Fournette. Pretty sure Brady would too…
His last 2 years with Brady (’18 & ’19) – James White had 159 catches, 1400 yards receiving and 18 TDs (12 receiving and 6 running).
Rojo, White and Vaughn for this year is a solid and affordable trio. Maybe we can get AP wanting to come here as a 4th back for close to the Vet minimum….
If Fournette wants more than a couple Million – which I’m sure he does – then he is unlikely to play in Tampa Bay this year. As long as BA is the coach, the Bucs are not going to pay top market $s to any RB…..
March 3rd, 2021 at 2:45 pm
@Joe in MI… I thought the tag for him was like 8 mill…
March 3rd, 2021 at 3:11 pm
I wouldn’t blame any of the players leaving for the money. None of us can judge until we are in their cleats!
March 3rd, 2021 at 3:18 pm
Just hope he stays with the Bucs.
March 3rd, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Robert: I could be wrong on the tag amount, but the Bucs probably need the franchise tag for Shaq or Chris Godwin. I don’t think Lenny will see anywhere near $8 million per season from anybody, especially not the Bucs with the amount of free agents they want to keep. We’ll see though, and I’ll be the first to apologize to you if you’re right.
March 3rd, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Lenny is an upgrade for most teams, and he would not break the bank like the Leveon Bell types
March 3rd, 2021 at 3:41 pm
Just the opposite actually. Bell made less than half of what Playoff Lenny did last year.
Playoff Lenny made $2 million in 2020. Bell? $750,000.
March 3rd, 2021 at 4:11 pm
Still wouldn’t be adverse drafting a RB w/ the 32nd pick.. Always been a trenches-first guy but with the 32nd pick and a loaded roster if one of the top two or maybe even three RB’s on the board, it’s worthy of serious consideration. I mean outside of Lenny I can’t recall off the top of my head a RB the Bucs successfully developed off the UFA/ late round pick heap in probably 10 years. As JL recently said their pick @ 32 is a “luxury pick”. And with Lenny (likely?) out the door you’re not looking at BPA but BPA at a position of need.
March 3rd, 2021 at 4:18 pm
Let Playoff Lenny Walk! He showed up when we needed him the most and for that he will be thanked and remembered BUT Rojo proved he was able to be productive all season! He ran stronger than Lenny did a majority of the year.
Feed Rojo the rock, develop Vaughn…and bring in Adrian Peterson in a similar role that McCoy was in. It’ll be good for the young guys to see the Best RB of the last decade put in work.
Go BUCS!
March 3rd, 2021 at 4:47 pm
I like Lenny, but again, it’s all about priorities. He’s not a priority. Let him go if he wants too much money. He will live in Buc playoff lore, like Joe Jerevicious (sp?).
March 3rd, 2021 at 6:19 pm
0% chance of McCaffery getting traded. He’s the MVP of the Panthers every year he had been there. In fact, if he is one the block, we need to sell out to get him. Brady LOVES throwing to runningbacks and “Playoff Lenny” caught a bad case of the drops from “Double amputee hands” Jones
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:05 pm
Carolina is going to get a new QB for sure. They are not happy with Teddy. But if they want to give up the whole farm for Watson….let them. Those type of trades practically never work especially when the roster has holes. That team is not just a QB away.
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:21 pm
If they can keep him, fantastic.
If they can’t I think they are all set with Jones and Vaughn.
Jones is their main running back. He has better vision and is more explosive. Playoff Lenny tends to move his feet a lot without gaining ground. For as much as people think he’s a power back, he also gets stood up a lot without falling forward. Jones lowers his shoulder and goes forward better.
Last year I was ready to take Leonard and forget about Jones, Jones proved me wrong this year, he was fantastic.
This year should only be better because he should run routes better and block better with an off-season with the coaches and Brady.
And Vaughn showed a lot of promise with his burst and forget about the dropped passes (all the backs did that), Vaughn was a good pass catcher in college, he will be fine in that area. Like all young backs, learn to block
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:23 pm
With everything that I said above… I fully expect Fournette to cash in with another team. And I wish him all the luck. He was great. But Rojo is the man going forward and Vaughn is his back up
March 3rd, 2021 at 9:36 pm
1. Shaq 3yr 51M
2. LVD 2yr 23M
3.Godwin 5yr 78M
4. Suh 1yr 4.3M
5. Gronk 2yr 13M
6. AB 1yr 3.5M
7. Succup 2yr 2.6M
Restructure/Extend Brady, Brate
Trade OJ for 3rd round to GB, Lenny Team friendly as only 26years old…. Minter, Stinnie team friendly deals
March 3rd, 2021 at 11:41 pm
My BETS for returning players who JL will sign: Shaq, Godwin, Succop, Gronk, AB.
March 4th, 2021 at 3:00 am
Here is the sociopath looking at game film to find Godwin not jumping like a cheerleader.
Are you seriously saying Godwin IS NOT a team player?
Part of why he will never leave and why Brady came here in the 1st place. 2 All Pro receivers.
What Brady wants he gets, and he wants Godwin. Guaranteed
Godwin is one of the most unselfish players in the entire league and has always had an amazing work ethic even as a rookie.
March 4th, 2021 at 8:22 am
Joe Says:
March 3rd, 2021 at 3:41 pm
Lenny is an upgrade for most teams, and he would not break the bank like the Leveon Bell types
Just the opposite actually. Bell made less than half of what Playoff Lenny did last year.
Playoff Lenny made $2 million in 2020. Bell? $750,000
I was thinking about when the Jets signed him. Dude’s career seems to be over now
March 4th, 2021 at 8:02 pm
Running backs are a dime a dozen,would like Lenny to stay, but not for a big salary,