The Case For and Against the Patriots Trying to Claim RB Leonard Fournette
Whenever a high-profile player hits the market, you know the New England Patriots will be in the conversation as a potential suitor. That's why when Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was waived on Monday, we have to discuss the pros and cons of him joining the Patriots.
Let's go through the reasons for and against New England claiming the former first round pick off of waivers.
For
You Can Never Have Too Many Good Players
As we've seen so many times in the past, Bill Belichick likes to bring in players from any and all positions if he feels it will spark competition at that position. He most notably did it this offseason at running back with Lamar Miller, at quarterback with Cam Newton and at kicker with Nick Folk.
Sometimes the player coming in is competing for a starting role, and other times that player is more so attempting to push a player higher on the depth chart to play harder. In the case of Leonard Fournette, he would be brought in to do the former, since there are still question marks that remain at the top of New England's running back depth chart. Bringing in a player of Fournette's caliber would definitely motivate players like Sony Michel, Lamar Miller, Damien Harris and Rex Burkhead to run harder and play better.
Fournette Would Come in at a Relatively Cheap Rate
Since Fournette is on waivers, if he were to fall to the Patriots (which is unlikely based on their spot in the waiver order) his rookie contract would remain in place when/if he joined New England. That means he would be on the books for a $4.16 million base salary and a $4.47 million signing bonus.
While the Patriots could try and convince Fournette to adjust his deal, that would likely end up in Fournette receiving the same money, but converting some of his base salary to a signing bonus in order to lower his cap number. There's no scenario where Fournette takes less money, because, well, why would he want that?
Fournette would come in soaking up the most amount of cap space out of any of the running backs, which isn't ideal considering he has a lot to prove. But with over $30 million in cap space and bringing in a player that is in a prove-it year with a high ceiling, that deal is worth it for the Patriots.
Fournette Has A lot to Prove, Which Would Benefit Patriots
Much like with Cam Newton this year, New England, if they brought in Fournette, are adding a player to their roster that is in a prove-it year. Fournette is in the final year of his rookie contract, so if he doesn't perform well this year he won't be earning a sizable pay day in 2021, especially because of the position he plays at. That's why he must put his best foot forward in 2020, and that's the same reason why the six-time Super Bowl champions should attempt to claim Fournette.
Let's not forget that Fournette is coming off a season in which he rushed for 1,152 yards. And as a player that is leaving a team he wasn't happy being with, a breath of fresh air for Fournette could bring out the best in him, which is scary when considering he already has two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his three-year career.
With a chip on his shoulder as he enters a contract year, New England could benefit from that situation greatly.
Against
There's a Reason Jacksonville Waived Fournette
Say what you want about the Jaguars, but it is never a good sign when a team voluntarily gets rid of one of their best football players. That's a reason for pessimism when considering if the Patriots should attempt to sign the former 4th overall draft pick.
While I think this situation has more to do with the organization trying to overhaul and reset their roster rather than having a serious problem with the player, it's still worth noting that Jacksonville couldn't even find a trade partner at any price to get rid of Fournette. That has to mean something, right?
New England Already Has a Loaded Backfield
The most obvious reason to be against the Patriots acquiring Fournette is their current roster composition. New England already has six running backs on the roster in Sony Michel, Lamar Miller, Damien Harris, Rex Burkhead, James White, and J.J. Taylor, with four of them expected to make the 53-man roster. Because of that, one can make a case that the Patriots already have what they need in their backfield. So why bring in Fournette when they already have those players in their backfield and at cheaper costs than Fournette?
Yes, the case has already been made that you can't have too many good players at one position. But that point only holds it ground under the right financial situation. And while Fournette certainly isn't soaking up a bunch of cap space in 2020, a cap-savvy team like the Patriots might be weary of bringing in a running back at his cost.
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