Bills signing RB Leonard Fournette, per source: How he could improve Buffalos ground game
The Buffalo Bills are signing running back Leonard Fournette to their practice squad, a league source said Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Fournette, 28, was released in March by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after tallying 668 rushing yards and a career-high 523 receiving yards in 2022, his third season with the franchise. He won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020.
- The No. 4 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft spent his first three seasons with Jacksonville, recording 1,000-yard seasons in 2017 and 2019.
- With Bills running back Damien Harris on the IR with a neck injury, James Cook and Latavius Murray have been splitting carries over the past two weeks.
- Buffalo (5-3) is second in the AFC East, one game behind the Miami Dolphins.
Why the Bills signed Fournette
As the 2023 future for offseason signing Harris seems uncertain due to his neck injury, the Bills filled a need by bringing in Fournette to the practice squad. Head coach Sean McDermott has always felt strongly about having a powerful presence at the line of scrimmage and in the running game. Without Harris, they lost that, even though the 33-year-old Murray has tried his hand at it.
Advertisement
Fournette gives them the physical, between-the-tackles runner to help them in short-yardage situations when he’s active on the 53-man roster. They still believe in Cook and his potential moving forward, and his performances in the last two games have shown he can do a little bit of everything for the offense. But Cook needs to improve at blitz pickup, opening the door slightly to others getting time on the field. Murray has taken up a lot of the third-down work because of the pass-protection element, though his rushing success has worsened in recent games. Fournette can blend not only the short-yardage piece but also a pass-catching element to his game to make him an all-around option when activated. — Joe Buscaglia, Bills beat writer
When Fournette could join the active roster
It would not be surprising if the practice squad agreement is merely a pre-cursor to Fournette moving to the 53-man roster in short order. The Bills could choose to use the time this week as a slow ramp-up for Fournette from a physical and playbook-learning standpoint, as he hasn’t been on a roster since the 2022 season.
The team has yet to fill the active roster spot vacated by tight end Dawson Knox when they placed him on Injured Reserve, but Tuesday’s trade deadline could bring along a new player for the team to take that final position. If they fill that spot, that Fournette ramp-up timeline could also work with one of the Bills’ most recent moves. After signing running back Ty Johnson from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, Johnson will have received his minimum of three weekly game checks. He will be eligible to be released without anything else owed and can subsequently sign back with the Bills’ practice squad if no other team tries to sign him. Johnson only contributed on special teams during the Patriots and Buccaneers games. — Buscaglia
GO DEEPER
Perception, reality and the NFL coordinator under fire while running a top-five offense
Required reading
(Photo: Jeffrey Brown / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57lGlobWlkZnxzfJFsZmpoX2h9cK7IpaOsZZyavK%2Bt0Z1kn6elp7umwNOeZJynnqm%2Foq%2FTaA%3D%3D