Faulty plan for starter could impact Buccaneers depth chart in 2022
By Rob Leeds
The entire Leonard Fournette offseason saga is a little silly, but the way that it is playing out for the Buccaneers could still cause change.
As much as this seems like it should be a non-story regarding the Buccaneers and their starting running back, Leonard Fournette and the Bucs are at a strange crossroads.
On one side, Fournette could prove the doubters wrong, lose the weight without losing a step, and keep his job for the 2022 season with little to no change.
On the other side, Fournette’s recent weight and hopeful weight loss could have a bigger impact on his season than some choose to believe.
For starters, Fournette’s weight is a story because it is tied to a running back that is 27-years old; the dreaded hump that usually indicates a drop-off is on the horizon. Fournette isn’t just going to fall off the map after several quality years, but his workload in Tampa isn’t light, and we already started to see some cracks in the armor in 2021.
A guy playing a full season above his usual playing weight with approximately 25 touches per game is not anything to scoff at. Those open field tackles that come off passing plays also become all the more dangerous for a guy that is bigger than usual.
Everyone should believe that Fournette will be able to lose the weight, that much should not be a question for someone with his resources, but recent comments from Fournette’s camp and those within the medical community on Fournette in a recent article from Mike Florio cause some concern.
Fournette’s camp is openly admitting that they know his overweight, and it is strange to see that they are acknowledging the use of a faulty medical practice to address the problem.
Water weight isn’t the problem for Fournette, much as it isn’t the issue for anyone who is trying to lose weight. Wrestlers and fighters right before a match are a different story.
The article mentions that this could have adverse effects on Fournette heading into camp, and that isn’t a great thing for a guy that is looking to keep his spot with a rookie behind him, chomping at the bit to get on the field.
This hopefully does not end up being a problem in the grand scheme of things, but changes could be coming to the share of the touches if Fournette can’t fix this problem quickly and in a safe way.
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