NFL Rumors: Eagles Could Acquire Leonard Fournette From Jaguars For Late-Round Pick, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
Although the Jacksonville Jaguars weren’t able to move Leonard Fournette during the 2020 NFL Draft, trade rumors have continued to swirl around the former No. 4 overall draft pick. And with the Philadelphia Eagles reportedly looking for a second-string running back, a new report mentioned Fournette as someone the team could acquire on the cheap in order to fill this need.
In a list of trade predictions for the remainder of the 2020 offseason, Bleacher Report‘s Chris Roling pointed out that Fournette has yet to live up to the lofty expectations that were set for him when the Jaguars drafted him in 2017. Despite scoring 17 rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons, the former Louisiana State standout has averaged just four yards per carry and has played for a Jaguars team that was described as “up-and-down.”
“Now that things have settled down, a team looking for a punch in the rotation probably won’t mind inheriting a one-year rental at roughly an $8.6 million cap hit after Jacksonville’s front office declined Fournette’s fifth-year option May 1,” Roling wrote, referring to how Jacksonville was reportedly unable to trade the running back during last month’s draft.
The Bleacher Report writer added that Philadelphia should “jump at the opportunity” to trade for Fournette if he can be acquired for a late-round future draft selection. The team, as explained, is reportedly searching for a “rotational” player who could come off the bench for second-year running back Miles Sanders. Although Fournette is still quite young and has shown some flashes of brilliance in Jacksonville, it was suggested that he could be an ideal addition to the Eagles’ roster, on top of being a potential bargain acquisition.
Leonard Fournette
Career day: ??
Victory: ??
Had to be separated from teammate after yelling at his OL: ??
pic.twitter.com/8bCr7Unwe0— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 29, 2019
As shown on his Pro Football Reference page, Fournette had a promising rookie campaign for the Jaguars, rushing for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games in the 2017 season. After playing in only eight games in the 2018 season, the 25-year-old posted career highs in rushing yards (1,152) and yards per carry (4.3) last year, adding 522 receiving yards on 76 catches. However, he ran for just three touchdowns for a Jaguars team that finished at fourth place in the AFC South Division with a 6-10 record.
Although Fournette’s future in Jacksonville currently appears to be murky, he still seems willing to make suggestions that could potentially help his team improve its fortunes in the coming NFL season. These include one he made last month on ESPN’s SportsCenter, when he lobbied for the Jaguars to sign former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.
