Buccaneers Signing RB Leonard Fournette To One-Year Deal Worth Up To $3.5M

Update:

Leonard Fournette has already confirmed the news that he’s signing with the Buccaneers. 

https://twitter.com/_fournette/status/1301323746586877952

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that RB Leonard Fournette has reached an agreement with the Buccaneers.

According to Rapoport, Fournette receives a one-year contract worth up to $3.5 million. The deal includes a $2 million base salary and incentives based on rushing yards and playing time. 

Fournette’s contract with the Jaguars does not include offsets, which means he could earn another $4.2 million if he wins his grievance against Jacksonville. 

Earlier in the day, Albert Breer reported that the Buccaneers had emerged as a “serious suitor” for Fournette and it looks like they were able to close the deal. 

The Patriots expressed interest in Fournette, but it looks like Tampa Bay proved to be his best option in the end. 

It will be interesting to see how this move impacts the rest of the Buccaneers’ running backs, as they signed LeSean McCoy to a contract this summer and were expected to open the season with Ronald Jones as the starter. 

Fournette, 25, is a former first-round pick of the Jaguars back in 2017. He is entering the final year of his four-year, $27.15 million contract that’s fully guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $4.16 million for the 2020 season.

The Jaguars recently declined Fournette’s fifth-year option and later waived him on Monday. 

In 2019, Fournette appeared in 15 games for the Jaguars and rushed for 1,152 yards on 265 carries (4.3 YPC) to go along with 76 receptions for 522 yards receiving and three total touchdowns.

We had him included in our Top 100 Available 2020 Free Agents list.