With training camps winding down and the start of the 2020 NFL season fast approaching, teams are looking to pare down to their final 53-man rosters. That will mean perhaps some surprise cuts in the next few days.
The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked things off with a bit of a shocker to start the week:
Jaguars released RB Leonard Fournette.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2020
This move comes as a bit of a surprise, given that Fournette is coming off a career-high season. Last year he rushed for 1,152 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.3 yards per attempt, also a career-high. With the Jaguars moving on from almost their entire 2017 defensive lineup, which put them within a half of the Super Bowl, and looking at second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew as their starter in 2020, you might think that Fournette would be a critical component of their plans.
Instead, the running back is looking for a new home.
According to Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network, this move is part of coach Doug Marrone’s effort to improve the roster:
Got a text from another coach this AM on the #Jaguars: “Doug is trying to clean up the place.” With the up-and-down history with RB Leonard Fournette, Jax moves on. He was due $4M in salary after the team declined his fifth-year option.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2020
Time will tell if this has the desired impact.