We’re to the part of the season where every social media post matters for the future of the Buccaneers. Leonard Fournette is up to the plate.
We’ve all been preparing for this moment from the second the season ended. We all knew that Buccaneers departures were coming in free agency, but having to face those when they actually happen is much easier said than done.
While there are still several weeks before free agency officially starts, there are plenty of signs that show where most players can/will land. None of it is official, but the NFL and its players have ways of tipping their hand before moves happen.
This appears to be what is happening with Leonard Fournette.
Fournette’s Instagram is the focus of the most recent conjecture, and that in addition to the knowledge that he will have a decent free agent market should be the nail in the coffin for one of the better Tampa Bay running back careers.
You can check out Fournette’s post in this Tweet from Greg Auman. Yes, this post does not put anything as a definite, but as Auman points out; this language does not usually come from players that are gearing up for a return.
This is free agent running back Leonard Fournette on Instagram, and it seems like he’s talking about his time with Bucs in the past tense. pic.twitter.com/dxUK7iULKY
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 9, 2022
Again, none of this should come as a surprise, but it doesn’t hurt any less. Fournette’s contributions en route to that Super Bowl were nothing short of spectacular. “Playoff” and “Lombardi” Lenny has solidified himself amongst the Bucs pantheon at a unique intersection of character and talent than stand above most of the rest.
The modern NFL just doesn’t value the position enough for the Bucs to pay out enough to stay competitive on the open market, and the problem is only made worse by the fact that Tampa has next to no cap space.
Perhaps something miraculous happens over the coming weeks and keeps Fournette where he belongs, but it is time to start facing reality. Good-byes are never easy, but Buccaneers fans can at least be thankful for the major impact Leonard Fournette had on this roster over the past two years and wish him well at his next stop.
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