Jaguars waive Fournette
The Jacksonville Jaguars waived running back Leonard Fournette less than two weeks before their 2020 season opener, the team announced Monday.
Jacksonville drafted Fournette with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft. He was entering the final year of his rookie contract after the team declined his fifth-year option in May.
The Jaguars believed Fournette was at the center of some recent locker room issues and tried to trade him this offseason, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
"(Head coach) Doug (Marrone) is trying to clean up the place," an NFL coach said, according to Rapoport.
Though he's been fairly productive since entering the league, Fournette has failed to meet the expectations associated with his high draft slot. He averaged four yards per carry and scored 19 total touchdowns across 36 games with the Jaguars.
The 25-year-old also drew the ire of coaches and management at times throughout his tenure. He reportedly had a strained relationship with former vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin.
Fournette's departure highlights a number of offseason changes in Jacksonville, as well as another short-lived stint for one of the team's high draft picks. None of the Jaguars' first-rounders from 2012 to 2017 are still on the roster. Additionally, none of their six straight top-five picks from 2012 to 2017 lasted more than five years with the franchise.
The Jags picked in the Top 10 nine times in the 2010s. On Aug. 31, 2020, just one of those nine players is on their roster. pic.twitter.com/8NIQvsRfYg
- Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 31, 2020
Jacksonville has offloaded a handful of impact players since its AFC Championship Game appearance in 2018, including Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye, and Dante Fowler.
The Jaguars also traded disgruntled pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Veteran Chris Thompson and sophomore Ryquell Armstead currently sit atop the team's running back depth chart.
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