7 RBs the Carolina Panthers should consider in 2022 free agency
Carolina Panthers should consider Leonard Fournette
Football fans in 2017 would be really confused right now if they were reading this. Yet, here we are – Leonard Fournette could be on his way to joining his third team in five years.
It’s great to see how much Fournette has improved over the last few seasons after an ugly end to his Jacksonville Jaguars tenure. The former LSU superstar became a valuable asset in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield – which reignited his career in no uncertain terms.
Fournette is known for his downhill running style but has since added to his arsenal. The former first-round pick became a reliable check-down weapon for the since-retired Tom Brady, totaling 105 receptions in the last two seasons combined.
While he’s not as versatile as some of the other running backs on this list, Fournette in his own right would add a downhill element the Carolina Panthers are in desperate need of in order to help ease the pressure on Christian McCaffrey.
Fournette isn’t expected to make a big payday in free agency, as Spotrac projects his market value at $6.1 million APY. As the Panthers look to address bigger needs on the open market, signing the veteran to a short-term deal would provide great depth behind McCaffrey.
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Whether Fournette would want to leave the 2020 Super Bowl champions for their NFC South rivals is unlikely. But the benefits from Carolina’s perspective are there for all to see.