While today’s NFL news is almost entirely focused on coaching staff shakeups, there are still some other interesting nuggets out there. One very noteworthy situation is the drama unfolding with the Jaguars and Leonard Fournette. Yesterday, head of football operations Tom Coughlin blasted Fournette for sitting on the bench during the team’s Week 17 loss, and now the team is voiding the remaining guarantees in his contract, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN (Twitter link). The voiding is a result of Fournette’s suspension by the league for one game a couple of weeks ago for his role in a fight that broke out in the Jaguars/Bills game. The NFLPA could challenge any such move, but if his contract included an exception for suspensions, as most rookie deals do, there might not be much they can do.
As a first round pick, Fournette’s multi-million dollar salaries for 2019 and 2020 had been guaranteed, but that’s no longer the case. The team can now cut Fournette without paying him anything more, and a parting of ways whether by trade or release now seems like a very real possibility. It’s a pretty significant development as a few weeks ago no one would’ve guessed the 2017 fourth overall pick’s longterm future with the team was in doubt. The Jaguars invested a very early pick in Fournette, but the returns have been underwhelming. He’s been injury prone and not particularly efficient even when healthy, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry this season. The Fournette situation will be one of the most interesting to monitor this offseason.
Here’s more from around the league on Black Monday:
- Nick Foles scared Eagles fans everywhere when he went down with a rib injury late in the team’s win over the Redskins, but the undeniably clutch signal caller will be alright for the playoffs. Tests on his ribs came back “clear”, and Foles will start this weekend against the Bears, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (Twitter link). It’s great news for Philly’s chances, as they look to make a second straight magical run to the Super Bowl. No matter what happens with Foles, he’s extremely unlikely to be back with the Eagles in 2019.
- Adam Gase has been fired by the Dolphins, and not all of Miami’s players are sad to see him go. “Many players in Dolphins locker room won’t be hurt by decision to fire Adam Gase”, reports Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com (Twitter link), who reports that some players told him they felt “alienated” by Gase and that he held some players to a “different standard.” Reports like these surely won’t help Gase in his quest to land a new head coaching job, although he is still expected to be a hot candidate.
- Speaking of the Dolphins, one pleasant development for Miami this year was the breakout season cornerback Xavien Howard had. While Howard wants to sign a longterm extension with the Dolphins, his price tag might be too high, according to Adam Beasley of The Miami Herald. Howard picked off seven passes this year, and told Beasley he wants to land the biggest contract for a cornerback in NFL history. Josh Norman currently holds that record, and Howard thinks he deserves to break it. Howard will be playing the final year of his rookie deal in 2019, and Beasley writes that “$15 million annually is expected to be the floor when Howard’s representatives begin extension talks this offseason.” The Dolphins will have a new coaching staff and front office, and it will be interesting to see if they’re willing to meet his demands as they head into a rebuild.
other than Ramsey, who has the Jags GM drafted in the 1st round ever pan out? The edge guy now in LA, Bortles, & LF all are wasted picks. Good thing he kept his job.
Fournette is good but yeah the rest were busts
Is he good? Or was he good at LSU in the season and a half he was healthy there? Dude wanted an NFL contract. Doesn’t want to be an NFL player
1000+ yards rookie year. He is good. Injuries killed him this year
Injuries do not disqualify you from Bust status. Right now, hes a bust.
How on this earth is he a bust? He was a top RB on a team that went to the confrence final. Calling him a bust is ridiculous. See what he does next year than maybe
Correct…..everyone is glossing over the fact that the Jaguars lost “every” starter on their O Line due to injury…..and then lost 2 more L T’s and another RT.
Kind of hard to run behind a line full of backups and 3rd and 4th string Linemen.
Plus…….zero passing game!
Not that he’s gonna get in a fight, but this “voided money” crap is exactly why Roquan Smith held out.
Yeah, your exactly right. Teams shouldn’t protect themselves by putting behavior clauses and penalties for those behaviors in the contracts they sign. Fournette signed the contract and either knew or should have known the possible consequences for his actions.
He chose to ignore them. I feel zero sorry for him or anyone else. Every employer has rules, and there are consequences to breaking those rules. Guess he gets to find that out the hard way.
But to void seven million after a serving a week suspension? Would you want to still be employed by that team anymore? Yes he lost a game check, and yes he served his time, but still you take that much away and ruin any trust between the two? There’s no going back from this. Yes, they may pay him next contract, but that’s one hell of a response. I feel like this is a shot fired by the owners to all the players. NFLPA gets involved and this won’t be pretty. The next negations for the CBA are not going to be met with open arms.
NFLPA doesnt have a leg to stand on.
Their dumb if they let Fournette walk without having an O-Line for him to use.
“Their dumb”
Sigh.
This would probably the best thing that could happen to him. As an unrestricted free agent, you watch I bet someone will sign for at least the money he lost, if not more. Keep in mind he’s young and won’t cost them anything but money. There are a lot of teams out there with tons of cap space that need a RB. Hello Jets and Bills. They will overlook some baggage if it means getting a good deal.
He would be subject to waivers. Wouldn’t be an UFA
If they’re successful in voiding his contract, he becomes an UFA. If he’s picked up off waivers the new team has to pick up he contract, and he doesn’t lose any money.
Why would any drafted player sign with them after this? The whole suspended a game is bull, it’s not a coincidence it was announced after he sat on the bench. You could look at someone wrong and they’ll void the guarantees. Plus it’s Fournette with his history of hamstring injuries standing/walking on the sideline he’d probably injure both.
If the Jags cut Fournette, they’re dumber than I thought.