If Leonard Fournette decides to leave Tampa Bay in the wake of Tom Brady’s retirement, the former first-round pick should be the most appealing running back on the free agent market. Fournette is Pro Football Network Lead Analyst Dalton Miller’s top-ranked running back and 54th overall free agent entering the new league year. Here are some predictions and potential landing spots for the Buccaneers RB.
Predictions for free agent Leonard Fournette
Fournette is coming off a second strong season with the Buccaneers. While his numbers weren’t eye-opening, he was productive within his role in Tampa Bay’s running back rotation. He carried the ball 180 times for 812 yards and 8 touchdowns.
While some might view Fournette as simply a ground-and-pound complement in a two-back system, that outlook should be appealing for a team that already has a speedy playmaker to pair with him. Fournette has likely added years to his career by joining the Bucs, as he could be more of a cog than a workhorse back.
Fournette, as a former top-five pick, has already made roughly $30 million during his career. He’s also won a Super Bowl ring. At this point in his career, he can choose a destination that best fits his lifestyle. While he probably won’t get a massive contract (as running backs rarely do), Fournette should be able to find a comfortable setting on the open market if he leaves Tampa Bay.
Fournette’s best landing spots
Fournette is the top running back in the free agent class, with only Broncos running back Melvin Gordon nipping at his heels for value. Fournette should target a team with a lot of cap space and limited running back resources. Here’s why the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons make sense for the tailback.
Miami Dolphins
Outside of Myles Gaskin, the Dolphins have little to show at running back. That said, Gaskin is a good complement for Fournette’s style of play. Fournette has already played for two of the three Florida teams, and the Dolphins have a boatload of cap space. With no state taxes and a key role in an RB-friendly offense, Fournette could certainly do much worse.
Houston Texans
If the Texans plan to build around Davis Mills on offense, they’ll want to give him a bell-cow back to complement him in the backfield. Head coach Lovie Smith is a defensive-minded boss, and he will favor having a strong, ground-and-pound attack on the opposite side of the ball. Fournette could carry a heavy workload in Houston, something he has asked for during his stops in Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are in a weird spot offensively. Outside of QB Matt Ryan and TE Kyle Pitts, they are without any talent in the playmaker spots. While the wideout room needs to be completely rebuilt, Pitts and Ryan would also benefit from having a workhorse back in the backfield. If Cordarrelle Patterson is brought back, Fournette and Patterson could complement each other as an impressive 1-2 punch at running back.