Leonard Fournette cashed in as a free agent back in March, landing a three-year, $21-million contract that will keep him in Tampa through his age-29 season. However, the Bucs may already have buyer’s remorse, wondering why they shelled out so much money for a player whose conditioning has long been a source of frustration.
According to beat reporter Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Fournette appeared sluggish at last month’s mandatory minicamp, tipping the scales at close to 260 pounds. That’s well above his listed weight (228) and likely the reason Fournette was absent from OTAs this spring, wanting to hide his new, huskier physique for as long as possible.
“Coaches were not happy, and that’s an understatement, when [Fournette] didn’t participate in the OTAs, but then he shows up at the mandatory minicamp weighing damn near 260 [pounds],” said Stroud on his podcast, Sports Day Tampa Bay. “That’s not a good sign for a guy that you’ve just spent a three-year contract on.”
Fournette, for his part, has acknowledged his need to lose weight, though it’s fair to question his commitment level, digging a hole for himself by showing up noticeably out of shape. If Fournette is slow to get going in training camp, it will open the door for Rachaad White, a third-round rookie out of Arizona State, where he led the Sun Devils in both rushing and receiving yards as a junior in 2020.
Despite a sturdy figure, the stout 27-year-old is known for his elite wheels, reaching a blistering speed of 22.05 mph in 2017, the fastest clip of any ball-carrier that season. Fournette enjoyed one of his better statistical seasons in 2021, tying a career-high with 10 touchdowns while registering over 1,200 yards from scrimmage (812 rushing, 454 receiving).
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