The Buffalo Bills have released veteran running back Leonard Fournette from their practice squad, Field Yates of ESPN reported Tuesday.
Fournette, 28, signed with the Bills in late October after going unsigned during the past free agency period. He appeared in two games, rushing for 40 yards on 12 carries. Fournette is one year removed from a season in which he rushed for 668 yards on 3.5 yards per carry and three touchdowns with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He added 73 receptions for 523 yards and three scores.
Prior to joining the Buccaneers in 2020, Fournette spent three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A 2017 first-round pick out of LSU, Fournette rushed for 2,631 yards on 4.0 yards per carry and 17 touchdowns. He also hauled in 134 receptions for 1,009 yards and two scores.
Days after signing with the Bills, Fournette talked about why he made the move to Buffalo.
“This gave me an opportunity I feel like I needed,” Fournette said. “I had a couple of teams reach out to me, but I really just wanted to do what’s best for me. It’s a fresh start. I was in the south [for] most of my career in the heat, so it’s a change-up.”
‘Playoff Lenny’ aka Leonard Fournette released during postseason
In recent years, Fournette had adopted the nickname “Playoff Lenny” for his stellar performances in the postseason. He was particularly dangerous during the 2020 playoffs, when he rushed for 300 yards and three touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry in four games, helping lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory.
Fournette’s release comes at a time where the Bills are set to host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round this Sunday. He was inactive for the 31-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round Monday. Buffalo’s rushing attack remained robust, accumulating 179 yards — a team leading 79 coming via running back James Cook. Quarterback Josh Allen added another 74, including a 52-yard rushing score in the second quarter.
“It’s Josh,” head coach Sean McDermott said after the game. “I think it was even Joe on the headset going, ‘Get down. Get down.’ And then he goes and scores. And he’s like, ‘I mean, I’m gonna go score.’ That’s Josh doing some of what Josh is known for. It’s everything in moderation.”
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