While fans are well aware of the pressure the Jacksonville Jaguars’ coaching staff and front office is under, there are also some players who will enter the season under pressure, too. As is always the case, certain players will be on a contract year, and if they have a solid season, it could turn into a big payday next spring.
Ruining back Leonard Fournette is one player who is on that boat, and as a result, he made NFL.com’s list of top players who are under the most pressure in the league. Coming in at the No. 9 spot, analyst Adam Schein believes Fournette not only needs to produce, but also prove he’s maturing as an all-around professional.
Time and patience are running out when it comes to the fourth overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. And remember: The Jaguars drafted the running back over Christian McCaffrey — as well as Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Whoops.
I still think Fournette is talented, having shown enticing flashes over his first three NFL seasons. He did just finish seventh in the league in rushing, after all, with 1,152 yards. But does he really get it? Is he ready to lock in as a mature professional? Can he help the Jaguars win in 2020? What’s the future hold after this season?
Jacksonville declined his fifth-year option. The Jaguars have been dangling him on the trade block this offseason, but no one’s biting. It’s high time for Fournette to change the narrative.
While Fournette has produced a pair of seasons where he rushed for over 1,000 yards, his career has come with its share of incidents here and there — albeit some were minor. Just to name a few, there was his physical altercation with Shaq Lawson in 2018, and according to sources of NFL insider Mike Garafolo, punctuality and Fournette’s actions in team meetings have been issues to come up, too.
From NFL Now on @nflnetwork on the #Jaguars’ patience with Leonard Fournette finally wearing thin. pic.twitter.com/RtsPAWZcTi
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 20, 2020
When considering this, it’s possible the Jags could be already viewing 2020 as Fournette’s last year in the back of their minds, as a change of scenery might be what the young running back needs. Additionally, when weighing the rocky path they’ve gone down with him, they may feel his production isn’t worth the other issues that have come with him, especially if he’s not significantly impacting the win column.
Another thing to consider is something we’ve pointed out earlier this week in our post highlighting the Jags’ most important 2020 free agents. A majority of the league’s 1000-yard rushers from 2019 (six out of nine) were drafted outside of the first-round. In other words, the Jags could save themselves a lot of money by turning to the draft if the running backs class is favorable.
Ultimately, time will tell where Fournette’s future will be, but in all likelihood, he’ll suit up for the Jags in 2020. Maybe a phenomenal season could entice the Jags to keep Fournette afterward, but again, a change of scenery feels like the better option.