ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Bills are bringing in some veteran assistance to the Buffalo starting lineup in light of recent injuries.
Leonard Fournette, a six-year NFL veteran, has been out of football since being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February. On Tuesday, the Bills announced his signing to the team.
The 28-year-old fills a spot left open when the Bills signed running back Ty Johnson to their active roster after Damien Harris (neck) was placed on injured reserve 10 days ago. In a corresponding move, the Bills released defensive tackle Kendal Vickers.
Fournette has yet to suit up for a game this season, but he brings plenty of experience to the table.
He spent three seasons with the Jaguars before being released ahead of the 2020 season. Fournette then signed with Tampa Bay, where he went on to score two touchdowns to help the Buccaneers beat Kansas City to win the Super Bowl that season.
The Jaguars moved on from Fournette for disciplinary issues, which former team executive Tom Coughlin referred to the player as being “disrespectful” and “selfish.” One issue was related to Buffalo, when the NFL suspended Fournette for one game after he got into a fight with Bills edge-rusher Shaq Lawson in the Jaguars' 24-21 loss in November 2018.
“I take full responsibility for that,” Fournette said, following an outing in which he had 95 yards rushing and scored twice before being ejected late in the third quarter. “We lost the game. We should’ve won this game hands down.”
Last season with Tampa, he played 16 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earning 668 yards and three touchdowns. Overall though, he has 6,697 yards rushing yards, 41 touchdowns, and has appeared in 88 total games throughout his career.
Per the Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers released Fournette at the beginning of this season. That decision came in response to former QB Tom Brady announcing his retirement from the NFL.
Fournette was drafted fourth overall back in 2017 by the Jacksonville Jaguars and has played during each season since then.