The Jacksonville Jaguars will not be picking up the fifth-year option of running back Leonard Fournette, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Jaguars are not picking up the fifth-year option of former first-round pick Leonard Fournette, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 1, 2020
The Jags’ choice comes as no surprise as their relationship with Fournette has been up and down since drafting him in the first-round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Just last month, Schefter revealed that the Jags entered the draft open to trading him, however, nothing materialized though the Tampa Bay Bucs and Miami Dolphins contacted them.
Before 2020, Fournette had issues with seeing eye-to-eye with former team executive Tom Coughlin and the front office. His issues with the organization resulted in him being sidelined and fined at different points of his career. He also dealt with a suspension from the league for brawling with Buffalo Bills pass-rusher Shaq Lawson.
With the Jags declining the contract option, Fournette is due to make $4.17 million in 2020 and will count $8.64 million against the team’s salary cap. It appears those paychecks will fall on the Jags this year though, as his chances of landing with another team via trade feel unlikely with the draft over.
The Jags could end up still extending Fournette if he turns things around, however, a change of scenery may be what’s best for him. He’ll enter 2020 with 2,631 career rushing yards, 1,009 career receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns.