Leonard Fournette Is Waiting For The Money
March 19th, 2022
Basically, this is a giant game of chicken.
On one end of the road is Playoff Lenny. He has the skillset, experience and resume that demonstrates he can get the job done. Equally if not more important, Bucs quarterback Tom Brady likes him.
On the other end of the road you have Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht,who has a salary cap to worry about and likely has a set figure in mind to pay Playoff Lenny and still be able to afford other stud players.
Who will jerk the steering wheel first?
The Bucs and Playoff Lenny are in a game of chicken. Who has the most patience?
Playoff Lenny twittered last night that he believes he should be paid as a top-five running back. Hard to argue with his logic given what he has done the past two seasons. And Playoff Lenny is prepared to ride it out until he gets paid, or find another suitor willing to pay him what he believes he deserves.
I know what I want it’s going to take time but I also believe for these last 2 years I’ve played like a top 5 back, so I’m just trusting God and enjoying this time grinding and with my family………..
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) March 18, 2022
Joe looked it up on Spotrac.com. The fifth-highest paid running back is Christian McCaffrey; he was useless last year. McCaffrey made $8,237,500 in 2021.
The fourth-highest paid running back was Ezekiel Elliott. He ran for just over 1,000 yards. He made $9,600,000. He had 1,289 all-purpose yards (1,002 rushing, 287 receiving) and 12 touchdowns (10 rushing).
Playoff Lenny has a point. Playoff Lenny had 1,266 all-purpose yards (rushing + receiving). He also had 10 touchdowns (eight rushing).
Playoff Lenny earned $3.5 million last season. The 10th-highest paid running back earns $7 million per year. Playoff Lenny (14 games) is right there with Elliott (17 games) and probably better than McCaffrey (seven games).
So Joe is curious who wins this staredown. Joe just hopes the loser isn’t Bucs fans.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:05 am
Just goes to show the depreciation of the value of RB’s over the years. Zeke is a bum who relied on his backup Tony Pollard a lot last season, and McCaffrey is the most injury prone RB in the NFL. Playoff Lenny deserves a payday, no doubt, but RB is probably the least “sure thing” position in the NFL. Guys have been signed off the street that run for 100 yards and then disappear.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:05 am
A salary is for future performance, and while I think he’ll be good next year, will he stay in the top 5 after that?
March 19th, 2022 at 12:13 am
Sorry Lenny – i would not pay more than 4.5mm…position just isn’t worth it, particularly in this offense.
He also has managed to largely avoid any major injuries but age and load don’t suggest that will keep up…
March 19th, 2022 at 12:17 am
Need a better alternative… He does deserve to get paid so go play for a lesser team..
March 19th, 2022 at 12:18 am
If Tom wants him, they will figure out a base at $5-$6 million with incentives to put him into the top 5. Our cap guy is GOOD!
March 19th, 2022 at 12:18 am
Next! I’d rather have the leadership of suh
March 19th, 2022 at 12:18 am
Like fornette but top 5 back? Just stop plz. Would love to have him back but at the right price.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:24 am
We have draft picks n brady…I love Lenny but let him walk…
Trade giants for barkley ..
Act like we supposed to be impressed with a rb doing good with brady….brady won superbowls with blunt ..
Plenty of rbs will sacrifice their 1st born to eat with us and this super oline..
Take 6mil contract with encentives or move along..
We still have to get gronk back possibly suh back n golhston..
Not to mention sign draft pics..
March 19th, 2022 at 12:26 am
I’m telling you a top 5 rb on the team should have 1000+ rushing and easy 800+ catching..10tds is low end..brady dots rb and feeds them all day.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:27 am
Need a running game so we don’t become one dimensional. Lenny got it done the past couple years. Wish we could sign him. I think he’s a good fit and his hands are improving. For the right price but do we want to take a chance on a draft choice ?
March 19th, 2022 at 12:34 am
Next years RB1 is going to be a vet, and not Sneak or any draft pick. You may as well pay Lenny since he has demonstrated that he can block, catch, and run. If he wants the money, give him a shorter term deal. He is also a good player to have around for the future QB stylings of Gabbert and Trask.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:37 am
Lenny has earned it… and would truly LOVE to have him back…..
… just not sure we can afford that.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:38 am
No! He has to give a team discount. I want him on the team but he came as a free agent and we are building something special. Maybe 3 year contract 15 million guaranteed plus incentives.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:39 am
Luv Lenny but he should walk. Make your paper my man. I know there are a couple of teams who would pay and play you. Licgt should just offer the man 5 or 6 mil and leave it at that. I betcha though, he wants to pay him considerably less.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:42 am
No way Lenny is in the same group as McCaffrey,. But this is why you don’t pay running backs big bucks, after 5 or6 years you are gambling what’s left. McCaffrey is about shot and so is Elliot. They should let running backs sign new contracts after there first year because by the time their rookie contract is over they only have one to three years left.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:55 am
I think Lenny has earned 7 million per year. He’s a great back and personality in the locker room. I think we need to find the money and pay the man.
March 19th, 2022 at 1:00 am
What I’m saying is after 1 year you know what you have in a running back. Pay him what he’s worth the next 5 or6. Years and then drop off in the later years when they start going down hill. You can’t tell me that the most valuable player in Tennessee and Indy right now aren’t there running backs, but them guys will never see half the money the QB or receivers will get
March 19th, 2022 at 1:12 am
Lenny would have been a star in eighties and nineties, but since they made hitting receivers too hard and touching quarterbacks mortal sins, running backs are an afterthought. It sucks, but it is what it is and even watered down football beats the hell out of any other sport. I’d rather draft two running backs even given Licht’s track record with them than pay Lenny anything close to top five loot.
March 19th, 2022 at 1:23 am
Love Lenny (how can you not love a running back who giggles when he gets hit hard and tackled!) but it isn’t that he doesn’t deserve to be in the top five it’s that you could argue the top five is overpaid except Derrick Henry & Jonathan Taylor.
I think they will end up settling on 3 to 4 years for 5 to 6 mil
March 19th, 2022 at 1:24 am
I’m on a roll here and a little drunk, but Tennessee keeps making Henry run the ball 30 times a game he will be slowing down in 2 years , done in 4.
March 19th, 2022 at 1:27 am
Cordarrelle Patterson
March 19th, 2022 at 1:38 am
Both McCaffrey and Elliot are horrendously overpaid. Those may be the last two egregiously large second contracts a running back will see for some time. Lenny has played well for us. Certainly he’s aware of our cap situation. If he wants to make a little more scratch then he can certainly find it elsewhere. This isn’t a third round back looking for his first payday. He made plenty of money on his rookie deal and is making plenty of money still. But if he’s of the mind that he wants to be paid absolute top dollar, I think he’s headed out the door. If however he wants to play with a Hall of Fame quarterback and get a chance at more glory while still making an incredible amount of money for 99.9% of the population, he may resign. Unless he’s a complete fiscal idiot he should already be quote unquote set for life.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:06 am
Lenny isn’t a priority re-sign even if reasonable. Now he wants dat cash. Let him find it elsewhere. There are better backs at the same cost. There are better backs at a lower cost. There are better backs in the draft.
Get two, perhaps also a FB, add to Key Vaughn, and done.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:15 am
He hasn’t been picked up by anyone so I is likely a high price. If someone did wanna sign him, I’m sure he would comeback to the Bucs and put it on the table. Lenny and Ke’ “could” be a sick one-two punch with rushing and catching ability. Fournette was our third leading receiver when he got injured. Bucs will fold in the end. Brady isn’t gonna have some rookie to depend on catching the ball.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:15 am
Thisisouryear!! ,,,,,,,,
PERFECTLY expressed.
Very well said.
Bring Lenny back.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:18 am
Not worth it. I could see him getting a 3 year 15 million dollar deal with 10 million guaranteed. 5 million per year still gives him a raise. If we need to find BBB another FA running back or draft someone.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:28 am
Cordarelle is a gadget. I’m not sure if that is more important than a bona fide feature back. The kind Brady never had the luxury of having in Tampa so far. Or frankly in NE, except maybe Corey Dillon.
Lenny has always been the same. He is not a power back. He isn’t that fast. He doesn’t break tackles consistently. He lacks lateral movement. Mincing steps, falling down easily on contact, etc. etc. Even in his best Playoff Lenny games, he should have been better.
What was frustrating is that RoJo did have great qualities, but lacked consistency and didn’t fix flaws in his game.
Bucs need better.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:36 am
Lenny HAS Earned 7 Mil per yr.
Just somewhere else.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:50 am
The free agent running back list isn’t great. Of the remaining, I would be fired up about Melvin Gordon, and Rashad Penny, who became much more explosive after working with Adrian Peterson. Sony Michel, okay, but he never stays healthy. Marlon Mack might be interesting, but he’s been injured too.
Otherwise, the need can be addressed in the draft. There are many good ones.
I would avoid Arians favorite David Johnson, who is clearly slower and is primarily a receiver RB. Maybe it would be good to have one of those, but I’d rather go for James White for that.
March 19th, 2022 at 3:00 am
I suppose these are the unintended consequences when this team overpays in certain areas, they have little left for their all pros in other areas. Because let’s face it Leonard fournette plays like an all pro for the Bucs. So does da gronk and suh. But Lenny is only 27 and in his prime. So he needs to be a priority.
How on earth this team paid the golden grill 15 million a year will forever remain a blundering mystery to me. A total head scratcher.
March 19th, 2022 at 3:16 am
As we all know the draft is not a perfect science. We have 6th round picks that are goat, and number one picks that are flops. It’s just the lay of the land. So when you do get blessed with serendipity like we were with Lenny, do not take that for granted, because serendipity can be fleeting as good fortune comes and it goes, and bad decisions can come back and bite hard.
March 19th, 2022 at 3:18 am
Rojo as three down back. Sneak on third.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:00 am
If Cordarelle Patterson would take $3-4 m, rather have him. He’s hungrier. Fournette is good. Not great. Not Top 5. And if he is, then the team does not need Top 5.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:08 am
Yeah I don’t see a top five back, I saw a guy who had a terrific run in the playoffs and who was just average last year! But get you money young fella!
March 19th, 2022 at 4:20 am
The Jets and the Browns seem to like to overpay… So he should inquire to those teams.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:23 am
Bye bye….he played the team player role for awhile. Leopards show their spots. Or jaguars.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:34 am
Wait, what? Fournette wants to be paid as a top 5 RB? LOL!
Uh, no, sorry brah.
I like you, I was for the team signing you, but no, you’re not a top 5 back. You’re a good back, you can run almost as good as Ronnie, but have better hands, so that’s a good back… but top 5 money?
Yeah, that’s not going to happen.
Still thinking 3yr/$15m is likely, maybe tact on some void years to get the cap hit down to like $3m this year. If someone was going to pay him $7m or $8m a year, they’d have done it already.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:43 am
Wow, some great comments on this Lenny re-signing thingie. Seems like some JBFers have trouble though valuing RBs on modern-day NFL teams. I lean towards valuing a player’s future potential based on past performance (see no reason for me to believe they’ll git er done in the future if they haven’t been able to git er done in the past).
Lenny’s been with us for 2 years now (as has Tom Brady). His performance is well-documented: he’s a beast.
REGULAR SEASON:
o 27 games
o 1006 offensive snaps (average: 37 snaps/game)
o 277 rushing attempts … 1179 rushing yards (4.3 YPC)
o 131 targets … 105 catches (80.2%) … 687 yards (6.5 YPC)
o 105 first downs (66 rushing – 39 receiving)
o 16 TDs (14 rushing – 2 receiving)
o Fumbles – ONE
PLAYOFFS
o 5 games
o 263 offensive snaps (average: 53 snaps/game)
o 77 rushing attempts … 351 rushing yards (4.6 YPC)
o 30 targets … 27 catches (90.0%) … 204 yards (7.6 YPC)
o 31 first downs (19 rushing – 12 receiving)
o 6 TDs (5 rushing – 1 receiving)
o Fumbles – ZERO
Lenny was on the field for 47.5% of the offensive snaps in the regular season and a whopping 76% of the snaps in the playoffs. Kinda lets folks know who BA & TB12 trust when the rubber meets the road (not only rushing & receiving, but also protecting Tom Brady).
Anyone who truly believes you replace Lenny with a rookie RB to save a few shekels is undervaluing Lenny & overvaluing rookies. It’s a joke to compare Lenny’s performance over these past 2 years with us to anyone but the Top-5 RBs. If the Bucs can find the $$$ to pay Godwin $20 mil a year & Gage $10 mil a year, we’d better find a way to pay Lenny the money that he’s earned in THIS offense. I’d personally go with a 3-year offer of about $22 mil with $15 mil guaranteed (tad over $7 mil a year but with 2 years guaranteed).
March 19th, 2022 at 5:43 am
Why Fournette won’t get paid by the Bucs
1. The Bucs use a RB by committee and therefore won’t sink a lot of money into a single RB
2. The league values passing over running
3. Good RBs are a dime a dozen (not great)
4. Godwin screwed the cap by holding out for about $5M more than he’s worth
5. Still need to re-sign Gronk
6. Bucs believe Vaughn can carry the load
7. Bucs will draft a RB
8. Bucs will sign a low cost veteran RB for depth
9. Brady returned so the Bucs won’t be as run dependent as they would with Trask
That being said, I would LOVE to see Lenny return, just don’t see it happening
March 19th, 2022 at 5:56 am
I’d like to see us trade for Saquan, he’s a RB that would thrive with Brady and improve our running game. Fournette was very productive for us but he gets happy feet at times. 2 yrs younger and with the ACL injury and severe ankle sprain, lot less overall wear on his body.
March 19th, 2022 at 6:02 am
Rod Munch … ‘You’re not a top 5 back. You’re a good back, you can run almost as good as Ronnie, but have better hands, so that’s a good back… but top 5 money? Yeah, that’s not going to happen.’
Sound pretty positive Rod that Fournette isn’t a Top-5 back. Do a little research first comparing NFL RBs (and you can just limit it to last season if you wish). Bucs are primarily a PASSING TEAM; surely we can agree on that. Want to guess which RB was targeted the most per game last season? I’ll give you a hint: LEONARD FOURNETTE. Tells me that to OUR TEAM he was a pretty important piece of the puzzle.
Top 5 RBs in terms of importance to their teams last season were probably Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris, Dalvin Cook & Jonathan Taylor. That’s how they’d rank if your criteria for importance is Rushing Attempts + Passing Targets Per Game (IOW how much they’re used in THEIR team’s offense). Henry was 29.9; Kamara 23.6; Harris 23.6; Cook 22.9; Taylor 22.5. Lenny would sit at #11 in that list: 18.9 Rushes + Targets.
But guess how that group ranks when you evaluate those same RBs based on PASSING TARGETS PER GAME? Lenny leads the pack at 6.0 targets/game (tied with Swift from Detroit). That’s a pretty good indicator of his importance in OUR PASSING ATTACK OFFENSE.
IMO the best RB in the league over these past 2 seasons has been Jonathan Taylor. Derrick Henry would probably be 2nd, but the Titans use him so much in their rushing attack that he’s getting beaten up (he only averaged 4.3 YPC last season; Lenny averaged 4.5 YPC). Still, it’s importance of any particular RB to HIS TEAM’S OFFENSE that’s what counts. Lenny is a GRRREAT fit to THIS offense.
March 19th, 2022 at 6:23 am
Bucs fearless leader BA doesn’t like to pay RB’s even when they ball out and win you championships. Kind of like Belichick and his philosophy on QB’s, how is that working out? If.he’s top 5, he’s top 5 why be paid like he isn’t? The question is, how much is this Brady’s doing? He’s guys like Shane Vereen, Kevin Faulk, James White, Woodhead, Burkhead look awful good. If not Vaugh, Patterson and keep Rojo.
March 19th, 2022 at 6:45 am
Just ask him to test the market and see what he will have then the Bucs can decided
March 19th, 2022 at 6:51 am
Listnfrmafar … ‘BA doesn’t like to pay RB’s even when they ball out and win you championships.’
And wasn’t BA also the guy who originally said ‘No way’ to Antonio Brown? But Tommy wanted him, and so Bucs found a way to make it happen. Question in my mind isn’t how much does BA value Fournette, but rather how much does TB12 value Lenny.
Just a little over a week ago Bucs’ fans were resigned to having a horrible 2022 season of ‘transition’, WITH BA as the coach. NOW folks are again talking about making a run for the championship, still with BA as the coach. Why? Two words … Tom Brady. He might have some say in this thing about re-signing Lenny.
March 19th, 2022 at 6:57 am
Sorry Lenny, your money went to Gage….and Gronk is in line in front of you….
You’ll maybe get $5 mil………and, FYI Tom approved these priorities….
March 19th, 2022 at 7:01 am
If Kevin Faulk was young again. The best 3rd down back of all time. Stud. Blocking specialist, never dropped a pass, and could read the blockers and hit the opening.
March 19th, 2022 at 7:06 am
He is 100% correct but the problem is nobody is offering top 5 money otherwise he would be gone. Jason Licht is not the only one he is negotiating with.
March 19th, 2022 at 8:12 am
I knew he was going to be special and was happy to get him on board. He gets it done. Get him paid please.
March 19th, 2022 at 8:20 am
These owners are treating running backs like a thing of the past. I know BA says don’t overpay for a running back but all he did was bitch about Rojo and not trust Vaughn so what is wrong with this picture.
March 19th, 2022 at 8:29 am
If Lenny & Brady want to play, Lenny comes back–simple as that.
I really hope Patterson is a Buc. That dude is solid & Brady knows him. Plus solves the return game. Trade Darden for a pick then–if you can even.
Get us Akiem Hicks, sign JPP, Suh, Gohl.
Brady & Gronk sign for whatever fits & is left.
Make a run this year & 2023…2024…well…it’ll be sunny in Tampa & the beach is nice.
March 19th, 2022 at 8:41 am
How can anybody say Lenny isn’t a priority when the Bucs have no RB’s. Rojo’s gone. Vaughn nothing more than a backup. Whoelse?
March 19th, 2022 at 9:28 am
Dude is so overrated. One of the least instinctual runners I’ve ever seen. He can’t find the hole that often.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:03 am
Jeff part of that is obviously Oline but also predictable play calling. I will say this other than Taylor, Henry, Ekler and a few others he is pretty damn good in the open field and one of the most punishing backs in the league. If his receiving ability didn’t improve 100% 2021 versus 2020 I’d say let him go but Brady’s whole game is based around a good receiving RB.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:06 am
HEY LENNY,
You can’t even rush for 1,000 yards in a 17-game season.
You were ranked 20TH in rushing.
Thanks for the receiving yards, of which you had plenty of drops.
But get back to us when you can be a consistent rusher game in an game out and stay healthy.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:06 am
With Cleveland’s signing of Watson, I believe they are over the Cap. I would take a look at Kareem Hunt. Only 25, catches passes out of the backfield, blocks well and is used to a committee with Chubb. Was a top 5 back prior to his “issue” but has kept his nose clean since.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:07 am
He’s only worth that much if someone offers it, which apparently hasn’t happened yet
March 19th, 2022 at 10:13 am
Lenny is going to be waiting forever if be wants top 5 money. I’d love to have him back but the most the Bucs will pay is probably 5-6 million.a year. Let’s see who blinks first
March 19th, 2022 at 10:24 am
They will probably sign him for 3 years $20 million, keeping the cap hit low this year with upfront money.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:31 am
Lenny is well worth 6 to 8 million a year..easily. Won’t get it with us though. Somebody will pay the man. He deserves all he can get. Go get paid my man.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:32 am
The longer Bucs wait , the cheaper he will become.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:32 am
He has a chance be it slight to be a HOFer if he’s a 2 to 3 time S winner believe me or not! Anywhere else he’s a Knee Injury looking for a happening. Go Bucs
March 19th, 2022 at 10:39 am
He is a top running back and I can’t blame him for wanting to be paid like one. However, with the salary cap and it being a passing league, the priorities are just not there to pay him like that. I am figuring the Bucs will offer him 5 million and if he doesn’t take it, they just roll on with Sneak and a RB in the draft.
March 19th, 2022 at 10:48 am
The answer here is just simply Marlon Mack if Lenny is looking for big money
March 19th, 2022 at 10:58 am
Love Lenny, but he’s not a top 5 RB
March 19th, 2022 at 11:01 am
The issue is the 2 players you mentioned their team is regretting the contract lol. So if anything it helps the Bucs stand point more than Lenny.
March 19th, 2022 at 11:17 am
Stats are mis-leading. Our Running game was inconsistent and below avg from top to bottom. From coaching, to OL, to QB and finally to RB. Need to get better. I think the coaches will get the running more diverse. The OL will then benefit, QB needs ro get us out/in the right play and finally RBs who will stop tip toeing ar the LOS abd catch the ball better!
March 19th, 2022 at 12:20 pm
Lenny’s going to pout when he doesn’t get paid and he’s not getting his $7M from the Bucs.
Tough situation.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Pay the man. Him and Rojo both. How are you going to keep defenses honest without an effective rushing attack.
March 19th, 2022 at 12:36 pm
I understand running backs are a risky position to put a lot of money in, but this is about winning it all this year! He is young enough to get a 3 year deal in my opinion and we know he took a discount after 2020. That playoff run would have earned him a lot more than 3.5 elsewhere. I think Brady wants him, so I want him…. I hope he comes back!
March 19th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
I like 4Net but I don’t think he’s even Top 10 …
1. Henry
2. Chubb
3. Kamara
4. Cook
5. Taylor
6. Harris
7. Mixon
8. Elliott
9. Jacobs
10. Mitchell
March 19th, 2022 at 1:05 pm
Lenny deserves to be paid. Work it out.
March 19th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
LMAO people really want Saquon!??? Watch some freakin tape, people. The guy was outplayed by Devonta freaking Booker last season. Barkley was amazing pre injuries but he’s just a shell now. Holy shiet, man. I hope Lenny goes somewhere else and balls out while you guys get stuck with Keyshawn Vaughn lmao
March 19th, 2022 at 1:59 pm
Really doesn’t matter what other backs make. What matters how important you are to your team. Lenny is needed but I don’t think with the passing game as it is, he’s worth to The Bucs what other teams might want to pay. Having said that , he can win a SB with Tampa.
March 19th, 2022 at 2:43 pm
For those that think Lenny isn’t a very good running back, and shouldn’t get paid top tier; I hope you are not unemployed comedians.
March 19th, 2022 at 3:10 pm
@BradyHaterBucs
The stupid is strong with you.
@BradyBucs accused Lombardi Lenny of dropping a lot of passes last year.
Lombardi Lenny had 6 drops last year and was targeted 84 times last year per Pro Football Reference.
6 drops out of 84 targets is not a lot as @BradyHaterBucs claims.
You’re a truly a low football IQ individual @BradyHaterBucs. Leave please.
March 19th, 2022 at 3:29 pm
Where is Gio?
March 19th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Defense Rules Says:
March 19th, 2022 at 6:02 am
Rod Munch … Sound pretty positive Rod that Fournette isn’t a Top-5 back.
….Top 5 RBs in terms of importance to their teams last season were probably Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris, Dalvin Cook & Jonathan Taylor.
——————–
Defense, you just made my point there – I’d take any of those guys in a second over Fournette. I don’t think Fournette is bad, but if he thinks he’s in that good, he’s nuts.
Also, some others that would be on the list ahead of Fournette…
McCaffery
Aaron Jones
Nick Chubb
Austin Ekeler
Fournette was 20th in rushing last year, behind guys like Mark Ingram and Sony Michel.
Yes – stats are everything – you have to do the eyeball test as well – and in my eyeball test I’d also put Fournette behind Javonte Williams.
To me, Fournette is in the class with the 2nd tier of RBs, guys like;
Josh Jacobs
David Montgomery
Melvin Gordon
Ezekiel Elliott (who appears to have lost a step)
James Robinson
He’s still valuable to the team, and I hope they figure out how to bring him back, but fact is, no one (outside of the stupid Cardinals) are paying RB’s big money right now.
Again, if Fournette was going to get that $7m-$8m contract he wanted, it would have happened already. Now teams are just waiting out players to see who blinks first. I hope it works out for the Bucs and they are able to bring him back.
March 19th, 2022 at 3:57 pm
A lot of commentary here seems to come from guys that finished in the last third of their fantasy leagues. All the talk without looking at the numbers, just perceptions. I agree with Defense Rules, who sounds like he has a fantasy championship in his background.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:16 pm
Spotrac shows a player’s career earnings, and in Lenny’s case it’s not too hard to see why he ‘wants to be paid’ at this point in his career.
As a 1st Rnd draft pick, he made $23.0 mil total in his 3 years with Jacksonville. In his 2 years in Tampa though, he’s only gotten $5.7 mil total for some very good production (which includes 5 playoff games). Essentially he played for much less with the Bucs than he’d gotten with the Jags. Lifetime (5 yrs) earnings: $28.7 mil. RBs take a lot of punishment in 5 years.
At age 27, this next contract will most likely be his last opportunity to strike it big. He’s probably looking for a 3-year contract is my guess, and even though he might play a couple years after that, those aren’t typically BIG contracts.
I’m confident that Lenny would love to stay with the Bucs, but if another team was to ‘show him the money’ & pay him what he feels that he’s worth, wouldn’t shock me to see him bolt to that team. Still, his ‘issues’ in Jacksonville (and early-on here) may keep him from landing that BIG contract that he obviously wants.
March 19th, 2022 at 4:23 pm
Do you want to ring or do you want money we can find another back in this set very easy. It’s obvious we’ve got the receivers that’s what we want Gronk is more important
March 19th, 2022 at 4:49 pm
Rod Munch … ‘Fournette was 20th in rushing last year, behind guys like Mark Ingram and Sony Michel.’
Since you apparently agree Rod that ‘Yes – stats are everything’, here’s another set of stats for you: opportunities. Lenny ranked #21 in 2021 with 180 Rushing Attempts. Hard for someone who gets 180 ‘opportunities’ running the ball to compete with someone like Jonathan Taylor … who got 332 Rushing Attempts. They’re both excellent runners, but Taylor amassed 1811 rushing yds while Fournette only got 812 rushing yds.
Obviously Indy’s attack relies on running the ball a LOT more than Tampa’s does. Still, Taylor averaged 5.5 YPC, while Lenny was down at 4.5 YPC average. Taylor averaged 19.5 rushing attempts/game, while Lenny was way down at 12.9 attempts/game. Big difference.
But rushing stats alone don’t tell the whole story. As I noted earlier Rod, Lenny averaged 6 targets per game this past season, and that was #1 in the NFL for RBs. And THAT’S where the Bucs priorities are; THAT’S where Lenny is most valuable … to us (well, that & blocking). He had the 3rd most receptions among RBs (69) and the 4th most receiving yds for a RB (454).
Possibly the best way to compare apples (rushing performance) and oranges (receiving performance) though is to see how he ranks in Rushing Attempts PLUS Targets. Lenny comes in at #11 with 18.9 in that category (Derrick Henry leads with 29.9 BTW, but his ‘overuse’ cost the Titans and him dearly last year).
Overall, I’d say that Lenny probably ranks around that #11 in the NFL as an RB, which puts him just below McCaffrey & Gibson, but just ahead of Ekeler, Jacobs, Chubb & Elliott. His value to us though, in our passing game attack, I think moves him money-wise up the scale. Unfortunately for Lenny, the cash-strapped Bucs most likely see a different picture. Hopefully a ‘meeting of the minds’ occurs, and we get to keep him here for another 3 years.
March 19th, 2022 at 5:10 pm
Leonard Fournette, once he decided to let go of his entitlement attitude coming from Jacksonville, has played his guts out. He’s provided a spark, developed a leadership role and been reliable where no one else was. It seemed like Bernard would step in and contribute. It looked like Ronald Jones could step up and carry the torch. Neither of them came through. I’m hoping we can finally capture some production from Keyshawn Vaughn, who’s been buried on the depth chart, but may finally get his chance to shine. But it’s not so easy to replace what Lenny has done for the Bucs. I’d like to see him happily on the team for years to come. He’s still got plenty of gas in his tank.
March 19th, 2022 at 5:27 pm
I have never been a fan of Arians’ refusal to utilize a power running game with the fullback position. Arians hates fullbacks and has never had a true fullback in any of his offenses. Too much finesse, too much zone blocking.
Arians prefers multiple tight ends to run block, but right now, who is on the roster? Just Brate. Still waiting on Gronk, and even if he doesn’t betray and sign with the Bengals, he’s injury-prone. So who blocks?
It is also even more important, then, to have a feature back (and a committee) capable of busting through traffic, north-south decisively, and breaking tackles. Lenny isn’t that guy.
March 19th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
A good RB offers unusual explosiveness and acceleration into the holes, and the vision to hit those holes. Lenny doesn’t. Too many times, he minces around, runs into his own blocking, falls easily when touched. His best performances, “playoff Lenny”? Those were good OL days, and better backs would have had huger production.
Key Vaughn has the explosiveness, quickness and vision, but he has fumbling issues. He needs reps. He looked better at the end of the season, but isn’t yet a bell cow back who can carry the offense.
Rashad Penny/Melvin Gordon/Marlon Mack.
March 19th, 2022 at 6:30 pm
Let’s not act like RBs are interchangeable. Lenny is great. We need him back. A rookie won’t be the same, Vaughn won’t be the same, Rojo is gone and he can’t block.
March 19th, 2022 at 8:27 pm
Fournette is a top 5 back. No question about it.
March 19th, 2022 at 9:21 pm
I liked fournette and he was the leading offensive weapon on the team prior to injury heavily targeted and run.
He should be paid be paid in the middle 5-6m/y two year fully guaranteed and Tampa should a smaller pass catching back.
March 19th, 2022 at 9:22 pm
Draft
March 19th, 2022 at 10:43 pm
Steele is watching film from fournette’s worst games in 2020 lmao. Y’all deserve to lose again next year.
March 20th, 2022 at 8:40 am
Bye Lenny…. You’re good but you’re not top5.
March 20th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Playing like a top 5 RB in terms of contract is far different than actually being a top 5 RB. Lenny is okay but just a few steps north of average. Though he’s been the best receiving back on the roster the past two seasons, he was far from being the best runner… and he might have only been the 3rd best there. He’s a middle of the road starter, nothing less, nothing more.