The Jacksonville Jaguars started the morning off with a shocker for fans, releasing running back and former 2017 first-round pick Leonard Fournette.
#Jaguars are releasing RB Leonard Fournette, source says.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 31, 2020
The Jaguars, who had discussions to trade Fournette around the time of the draft, have elected to make such a decision on their starting running back less than two weeks before the season opener against Indianapolis.
Fournette’s relationship with the Jaguars has been fractured for some time. When they were under the leadership of front office executive Tom Coughlin, the team attempted to void money from his contract during the 2018 season after multiple minor instances on and off the field. Fournette, a captain of the team, was suspended for throwing punches at Shaq Lawson Buffalo Bills in the same season.
Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, coach Doug Marrone is “trying to clean up the place” in what is a make or break year for him professionally. Clearly Fournette, still only 25 wasn’t a part of the team’s long-term future. That much was made clear through the decision the Jags made to decline Fournette’s fifth-year option earlier in the spring. However, nobody expected him to be released before the 2020 season.
Fournette had a much improved season in 2019, posting over 1,600 yards from scrimmage and leading the team in receptions. With his security valve gone, the pressure has now ramped up on Gardner Minshew to lead his team to victories this season. That said, one has to ask how committed the Jacksonville Jaguars are to fielding a winning product this year after annexing the focal point of their offense for the past three seasons.
Fournette’s release comes after the Jags lost another key member of their 2017 AFC Championship roster, Yannick Ngakoue. After months of being disgruntled, the Jags ultimately decided to ship him to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional 2020 fifth-rounder that can be upgraded if Ngakoue makes the Pro Bowl and/or if the Vikes go to the Super Bowl.