Report: Leonard Fournette To Be Released
February 28th, 2023
Former Bucs RB.
A man who played a monster role in the Bucs being the scourge of the NFL for two years, Playoff Lenny, appears to be an ex-Bucs player.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Bucs plan to release Playoff Lenny. The Bucs are strangled under the cap and Playoff Lenny will be a savings of about $3.5 million. Prior to last season, the Bucs re-signed Playoff Lenny to a three-year, $21 million deal.
Playoff Lenny became the Bucs’ No. 1 back late in the Super Bowl year and was strong the following season when the Bucs again made the playoffs.
Last year Playoff Lenny wasn’t strong. Slowed by a bum foot, Playoff Lenny was RB1a on the league’s worst rushing attack. That and his salary made him a target. His rushing average went from 4.5 yards per carry in 2021 to 3.5 last season.
Just a couple of hours ago at the combine in Indianapolis, Bucs coach Todd Bowles said Playoff Lenny was still a talented three-down back.
Now he will take his talents elsewhere.
So the Bucs are now down their leading rusher — 189 carries for 668 yards and 3 touchdowns last season. Fournette also was good for 73 catches for 523 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air.
Joe can almost see the smile at Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s house.
Fournette has $2 million fully guaranteed left on his contract and another $2M would’ve become fully guaranteed on March 19. Instead, he’ll be a free agent after the league year begins, allowing TB to spread the cap hit. https://t.co/qmkbJ1x9cV
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 28, 2023
February 28th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
This is a damn good decision. Well done Bucs
February 28th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Makes a lot of sense for both parts…. Good luck Lenny, We will never forget what you´ve done!!!!
February 28th, 2023 at 2:42 pm
And so is Donovan smith. It was necessary. Keep the people that are a part of your FUTURE. It is time for a new look. Time to get younger and more athletic
February 28th, 2023 at 2:42 pm
Yo wtf?!
February 28th, 2023 at 2:43 pm
Guess we’re going for Bijan 😬
February 28th, 2023 at 2:44 pm
His foot is the problem. Hard to heal that. The beat up old pros have got to go. Hope this is the start of a total overhaul and rebuild. Coach Bozo is on his last year anyway.
February 28th, 2023 at 2:50 pm
Bad decision, Bucs
February 28th, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Had to be done as sorry to say. He wasn’t the same player for money the Bucs were paying him.
February 28th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
I mean they sure did not save a lot. 2 mil for a guy like Playoff Lenny seems cheap. Get rid of Devin White. You save some cash there.
February 28th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Ty Lenny!
I hope you go an AFC team and crush fools!
February 28th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
No Duane, it was a GREAT decision. Bucs are clearly drafting another back, you don’t need someone sulking and sullying the locker room like Lenny 100% would have done. A tiger never changes its stripes. A second or third stringer on a bloated contract that doesn’t play special teams, and no Tom Brady around to keep him on check? Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Was time to move on
February 28th, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Expected.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:03 pm
I am sorry to see him go ..Once he got it together he is a good player
February 28th, 2023 at 3:03 pm
Good!
February 28th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
Thanks Lenny, for the memories. Best of luck.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
still a decent player but very expensive and doesn’t fit the new scheme.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:14 pm
He’ll prolly sign with New Orleans – Since Kamara’s expected to miss some time.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:14 pm
I’m totally on-board with White becoming a superstar player, he just needs the reps. Also Vaughn has looked solid in backup duty.
Now watch the Bucs draft a RB in the first round, that would be about the stupidest thing they could do other than take a TE they don’t need.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
baller
love you Len
February 28th, 2023 at 3:24 pm
Fournette was fantastic on Twitter after the SB parade, he’s a really funny guy and I can see why he’d be really popular with his teammates, and be missed. Really strange how he got a rap as a bad lockerroom guy in Jacksonville, I never got the impression he was even capable of that here.
Also, who knows, maybe the Bucs bring him back on the cheap. Older running backs who look like they lost a step have a hard time getting jobs. With that said, Fournette runs in a style that looks like he’s lumbering, yet corners and safeties couldn’t catch him, so maybe he hasn’t lost as much of a step as people think.
In any case good luck to him unless he’s playing against Tampa — or best of luck to him if he’s playing the Bucs in week 17 and the Bucs need to lose to get the #1 pick.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
I agree with those who say is was a good back for the Bucs. Especially when he had some blocking. Developed into a reliable pass catcher too. Plus a good pass blocker. Will be tough to replace imo.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:27 pm
I have not seen anything from Rachaad White that leads me to believe he’s anything more than a committee-type back. Vaughn has looked like a better runner, to me.
That said, time to let Lenny go. He showed up fat last summer and I doubt he’ll ever return to his peak. He is about as old as Ezekiel Elliott, and in worse shape. Zeke is borderline washed up.
Draft Bijan. He will help QB and OL and defense.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:39 pm
I see Giants with Barkley on the bubble.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:44 pm
Well, we all knew that was coming and it’s the right thing to do. White is ready to be the man. They can draft another guy to go with Vaughn.
Thanks Lenny! Good luck
February 28th, 2023 at 3:46 pm
Leopold
Why is that surprising?
😂
He’s an expensive running back at this point and the Bucs have no salary cap. There’s going to be a lot of players cut, no one should be surprised.
And no, they’re not drafting a running back in the first round. That is ridiculous. They have White who can catch and block.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:46 pm
Gofor the whatever … Fournette does not sulk, and he was the teams leader last season in yards gained, rushing yards, TDs scored, and first downs gained, despite being paid only a small fraction of what our top three WRs get paid.
Where TF do you get that “sulking” bullhonkey. He’s a total team player.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:48 pm
Seriously cannot believe there are two people on here saying they should draft a running back in the first row… 😂 😂
White can run, block, & catch. He’s obviously going to be the main back.
They may draft another one later in the draft since they need depth, but that’s it.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:49 pm
he 100 percent sulked. he was nearly cut over it the year we won the superbowl.
That’s like saying Mike Evans doesnt lose concentration and beg for flags. (well he used to, it seems he has grown out of that habit lately.)
anyway. like free-agent-fournetty all you want. but cant deny his (ADMITTED) sulking and bad attitude.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:51 pm
It’s just life in the NFL, 5 years max for a quality RB – anything more is just gravy – Lenny would fit nice behind Henry in TN
February 28th, 2023 at 3:55 pm
This was necessary. Not only for the salary cap but I don’t think Lenny was going to be OK with being R. White’s backup…
Goodbye Lenny.
Thanks for the memories.
February 28th, 2023 at 3:55 pm
He was only here because of brady. Would not have been happy here next season
February 28th, 2023 at 4:16 pm
Thanks Leonard! From my perspective, with what you brought to the table you’ll always be a Buc, and your work in Tampa won’t be forgotten. You got us to where all of us dreamed of going.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:27 pm
Thanks for the service Lenny. You were money well spent. Hope you sign with a contender!
February 28th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
Zach Evans…3rd round. Hopefully we have two 3rds from trading back…use that first 3rd on TE Darnell Washington.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:35 pm
Now I think they’ll go offense or defense in the draft.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Was Canalas the new OC singing his praises? I guess the old sherrif shut down his new deputy.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:47 pm
Making the calls they need to make (Smith and Fournette). Is Brate next? Will they trade White? Let’s hope the answer is yes on both.
From there, decisions will get tougher. Mason? Gage?
Re-sign secondary players? LVD? Which reserves on the Oline and Dline? Who can you afford may be the question over who do you want to keep. Like Nelson and Nassib on OLB/DE.
February 28th, 2023 at 4:53 pm
Over and over its been proven you can find cheap backs. honestly we should never sign a drafted RB to a second contract. Sounds like the new OC is putting in a system that is great for a 1 cut back. White and Vaughn will be fine.
#Fixthecap
February 28th, 2023 at 5:03 pm
Thanks Lenny!!!! You’ll do fine were ever you go!! And you’ll probably be much happier there too!!
February 28th, 2023 at 5:05 pm
He came in overweight and appeared unmotivated after getting paid last year. He did not run hard and was very indecisive. The line was not good but Lenny was bad. Time to move on!
February 28th, 2023 at 5:13 pm
Seems like he asked for his release. Thanks for the super bowl Lombardi Lenny. Oh well, bring on Rashaad Penny.
February 28th, 2023 at 5:17 pm
Bucs are in a difficult spot trying to pay for Brady’s $35 mil CAP hit this year. No calvary coming to the rescue. More decisions like this will be necessary to get us down to where we need to be. That’s the nature of the business.
You had 3 great years here Lenny and gave us over 3,000 yards total. Looks like you made over $15 mil for your services here; not that shabby. Good luck in your next endeavor.
February 28th, 2023 at 5:26 pm
Wow, what a surprise! Never could have seen this coming. I thought for sure they would keep an $8.5 million dollar running back on the roster while they were trying to climb out of salary cap hell.
Cry all you want about a bum foot and yada yada yada…. He showed up 30 lbs overweight after getting his big payday, and that was while he had to look Brady in the eye. I’m grateful to Brady for the fun couple seasons, but it’s been hard to get past the images of Brown getting naked in the Meadowlands and Fournette constantly jumping into the warm embrace of the closest defender instead of fighting for yards. I could have done without watching those two piles of crap getting Super Bowl rings with my team.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out “Self-Preservation” Lenny. Have fun playing on vet minimum one year contracts for the next two or three years.
February 28th, 2023 at 6:34 pm
According to our gal-pal Jenna Laine:
Fournette told the Times that Brady’s retirement was a factor in his decision.
“Winning is everything,” Fournette told the newspaper. “That’s all. And in my last three years here, that’s all we’ve done. But since my guy [Brady] left, that’s why I came, so my time here was up.”
Lenny’s rationale makes sense. Good luck in your future endeavors, sir.
February 28th, 2023 at 6:35 pm
^^^^^The Brady Effect, explained.
February 28th, 2023 at 7:21 pm
Unless you have a Super Bowl roster with depth, there’s no reason to ever take a running back before round 3. Absolutely none.
February 28th, 2023 at 7:44 pm
EXCELLENT DECISION, DON’T GET ME WRONG “PLAYOFF LENNY” WAS ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WE WON SUPER BOWL 55, AREASON WE GOT THERE AS WELL AS THE PLAYOFFS IN 2021.
BUT BECAUSE OF THIS SALARY CAP WE MUST LET HIM GO ( HOPEFULLY HE SIGNS WITH AN AFC TEAM )THANK YOU LENNY FOR YOUR GREAT PLAY AS A BUCCANEER..YOU WILL BE MISSED..GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW TEAM ( AS LONG AS IT’S OUTSIDE OUR DIVISION)…LOL
February 28th, 2023 at 9:00 pm
wtf joe!?
February 28th, 2023 at 9:42 pm
Well, I guess it makes perfect sense under Todd Bowles to get rid of the person who gained the most total yards on the entire team last year. Why keep a guy who never lost a fumble while running the ball his entire NFL career? (Rashad White lost 3 fumbles last season, alone)
Good luck in the future, Lenny. You’re gong to make some other team extremely happy. I’m thinking the Raiders might be calling!
February 28th, 2023 at 10:09 pm
My answer to the headline is GOOD. Make it happen.
Then get a real legit #1 feature back to do all of the things Lenny has never done. You want a smashmouth running attack, you need a smashmouth running back, not a tip toeing fake one.
Oh and an offensive line that actually works.
February 28th, 2023 at 10:47 pm
Finally! Making him the focal point of the offense this past year was a huge mistake. He’s too slow and heavy. Once he gets the ball and has momentum he’s really hard to get down, but he just has no explosiveness coming out of the backfield. We should have kept RoJo. He got screwed out of a 1,000 yard season so psycho AB could get some extra cash and then we commit to fat Lenny. Always grateful for the SB, and good luck elsewhere.
March 1st, 2023 at 1:30 am
A possible RoJo return? Possibly at even less than the 1.5 mil he signed for last year?