Buccaneers plan to release Leonard Fournette: Source

The Buccaneers plan to release running back Leonard Fournette on March 15 at the start of the new league year, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. Here’s what you need to know:

• Fournette, 28, tallied 668 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in 2022, his third season with Tampa Bay.
• He notched career highs with 523 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
• 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.

Why the Bucs are releasing Fournette

The Bucs’ decision to cut Fournette makes sense for multiple reasons. The 28-year-old back was set to count for $8.6 million against the cap. While $2 million of his 2023 salary is guaranteed, the Bucs will cut him by the start of the league year to avoid owing him another $2 million guaranteed.

Fournette’s release also has something to do with the fact that the Bucs also have a younger option in Rachaad White, who fared well in place of the injured veteran as a rookie third-round pick in 2022.

Fournette still has plenty left in the tank, Bucs GM Jason Licht acknowledged on Tuesday. However, while starting over at quarterback, the Bucs also need to create financial flexibility and get younger and more effective at multiple positions, and the cost-saving release of Fournette should help position them to do this. — Jones

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(Photo: Kim Klement / USA Today)