Coming into his third 12 months with the Bucs, Leonard Fournette has by no means had higher job safety with the staff than he does proper now.
Since he signed with the Bucs in 2020, Fournette first needed to wait all the best way till the postseason for his second. That led to a historic playoff and Tremendous Bowl run. The following 12 months, he was nonetheless in competitors for a starter’s position with Ronald Jones II through the preseason, however he gained that battle and didn’t have a problem once more.
However this 12 months, Fournette lastly bought the consolation he’s been in search of. He obtained a three-year deal in March price as much as $24 million. With that contract, there could be little question concerning his standing because the beginning working again. Everybody else is behind him.
“I imply, it felt nice. Undoubtedly, you’re betting on your self,” Fournette stated on Tuesday about getting that deal. “My first 12 months was powerful for me, being behind RoJo and issues like that. I needed to come out and compete every day at follow. My quantity was referred to as and I made one of the best of it. The next 12 months, simply got here in simply competing regardless of that I knew that I used to be most likely going to share carries once more with him, however simply come out competing making an attempt to be primary.”
After getting a multi-year deal to cement his spot atop the depth chart, Fournette then noticed the Bucs draft Arizona State working again Rachaad White within the third spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft.
White isn’t a menace to Fournette simply but, however he’ll be nipping at Fournette’s heels for extra taking part in time. White has proven flashes of stardom already, and he’s made it clear a month in the past that he desires to be the starter on this staff.
“My expectation, my aim is I’m getting into there and competing,” White stated on the Jim Rome present in Could. “I need to be the beginning working again.
“I do know I bought Lenny in entrance of me. I’m gonna absorb a variety of data from Lenny in that working again room [and] Giovani Bernard. That’s simply the kind of man I’m. However I’m all the time a competitor first.”
After the Bucs opened necessary mini camp Tuesday morning, Fournette responded to White’s feedback, and took it in stride. He truly recommended his new teammate for his thought course of, saying he was the very same approach when he entered the league.
“Yeah, I talked to him,” Fournette stated. “I’ve seen individuals making an enormous deal [that] he stated he’s coming to begin. That must be your mindset. That was my mindset once I first got here in. I respect it. He’s an awesome man, I met him most likely a few weeks in the past. Simply speaking to him, he desires to know be one of the best, what suggestions can I give him. So, I’m working with him.”
In a Bucs offense that averaged 30.1 factors per recreation final 12 months, each working backs will get to flourish this season.
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