Patriots Work Out Leonard Fournette; How’s RB Fit?
The New England Patriots did not sign receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but they could be looking at another free-agent signing in the form of a running back. And no, it isn't Dalvin Cook.
Instead, according to a report from Tom Pelissero on Wednesday afternoon, the Patriots are maybe looking into the idea of signing Leonard Fournette. New England hosted Fournette for a workout on Wednesday, which, if all went all, could mean he has a new home.
Fournette, 28, isn't the same player he was when he burst onto the scene with the Jacksonville Jaguars. After spending the last three seasons playing alongside former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Fournette finished last season with his second-lowest yards per carry rate of his career at 3.5.
Yet, could that be partially due to the poor offensive line that the Buccaneers offense suffered from last season? Possibly. Although still at 28 years old, Fournette is reaching the tail end of a running back's shelf life in the NFL.
Luckily for the Patriots, if Fournette were to be signed, they wouldn't need him to shoulder the load as their No. 1 back. Rhamondre Stevenson would still hold that role, and instead, the Patriots would likely feature the former LSU Tiger as a short-yardage back.
But as we've learned over the years, free-agent workouts don't always translate into signings. Teams are constantly working out players as they are trying to stay constantly aware of their options.
This could be another case where the Patriots want to familiarize themselves with the veteran back and keep tabs on him in case they need him later.
As for the potential pursuit of Cook, despite Las Vegas naming New England as the betting favorites, there doesn't seem to be any traction in the form of talks. Yet, the working out of Fournette at least lets us know that the Patriots are watching the running back market.
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