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  • 2 weeks later...
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Damien Lewis remains on an upward trajectory 

By Alistair Corp@byAlistairCorp  Aug 21, 2020, 10:00am PDT 
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Asked about Lewis on Monday, Pete Carroll couldn’t hide his excitement:

He’s a special football player. He’s got a tremendous body for the position. He’s got great body mass, and he’s really powerful. You can see him in positions already, torqueing, showing that he can return to balance really well, which is great for an offensive lineman. He’s really smart. He’s studied really hard. Guys already can sense that you can count on him to know what’s going on. He’s off to a really good start. He moves well on the second level. He’s showing us that he can pull and get on the edge. He’s done nothing but good stuff so far.

https://www.fieldgulls.com/2020/8/21/21395901/damien-lewis-seattle-seahawks-rookie-offensive-lineman-lsu-training-camp-2020-season

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jags had been actively trying to trade him with no takers. Teams probably wanted to wait until he was a FA to get a better deal money wise.  Odd timing 2 weeks before the season though.  Not exactly a ringing endorsement from his coach:

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"At the end of the day, I just felt that was the best decision for us as a team," Jags coach Doug Marrone said following the divorce from Fournette, who rushed for a career-best 1,152 yards last season while also establishing personal bests with 76 catches for another 522 yards.

Despite that, there was evidently no market for his services at his current pay rate.

"We exhausted all trade opportunities," said Marrone. "We weren't able to get anything there. ... My question was, 'Can we get any value?' And we couldn't get any. Fifth- (round pick), sixth, we couldn't get anything."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2020/08/31/leonard-fournette-nfl-teams-patriots-buccaneers-chiefs-steelers-jaguars/5678615002/

Pretty safe bet that he will get picked up just not for what he would  have earned with the Jags.  He is still a millionaire so I'm not too worried that he will starve.

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7 hours ago, LSUDad said:

The Jacksonville Jaguars have released running back Leonard Fournette, the team announcedMonday morning. Fournette had been the Jags' starting running back since being drafted No. 4 in the 2017 NFL draft.

A lot of Jags fans are glad to see him go, said he had a bad attitude.  They also said he lacked vision, when the hole did not develop, he ran into it anyway when there was a crease available just off to the side if he would cut back.  Other fans said their o-line sucked.  We'll see.  LF was set to make $4 mil. this season.

LF could be as happy to get out of Jacksonville as they are to get him out.  He gained 1,100 yards on the ground last season, and receiving yards of 500.  That's a pretty good year.  It's odd to let him go two weeks before the season starts.  Some talk the RB's behind him were doing just as well in the new west coast offense they implemented since last season.  But, I have to think somebody can use an upgrade at RB.  LF is still very young.  Jacksonville did run him hard for 2 years, he sat out most of the middle season with them with an injury.  He could certainly land on a better team.  LF will get to pick which team he wants to sign with, and I'm sure he will look at how they use their RB, how good is their o-line, and are they a playoff contender.

This could work out better for LF.

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Fournette signs with Tampa Bay, joins Tom Brady.  I hope he gets past the "bad attitude" rap, and that it was as much a problem with the Jacksonville front office and coaches not being good at motivating a star player.  I am sure LF had his problems, and I hope he has learned from that experience and emerges a better "locker room" player.  IMO, Tom Coughlin was the big ass at Jacksonville, and he totally mismanaged Fournette (see link at the bottom).

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It appears the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gearing up for a special 2020 NFL season. Earlier this offseason, the Bucs signed quarterback Tom Brady in free agency and added tight end Rob Gronkowski via a trade with the New England Patriots, who owned his rights during retirement.

Tampa Bay added another big piece Wednesday by signing running back Leonard Fournette, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this week. The former first-round pick and LSU star will join a Bucs offense full of talented offensive playmakers.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Fournette’s contract details with Tampa Bay.

"#Bucs are giving RB Leonard Fournette a 1-year deal worth a max value of $3.5M, source said. He gets a $2M base salary and incentives are based on rush yards & play-time. Plus, with no off-sets from his #Jaguars deal, Fournette can double dip if he wins his grievance & add $4.2M,” Rapoport tweeted.

In a surprising move, the Jaguars waived Fournette on Monday after reportedly being unable to find a willing trade partner for the 25-year-old running back. The former LSU star was entering the final year of his rookie deal after the team had declined his fifth-year option during the offseason.

Last year in 2019, Fournette rushed for 1,000-yards for the second time in three career seasons — gaining 1,152 yards (4.3 average) and three touchdowns on the ground in 15 starts. He also blossomed as a receiver, hauling in 76 catches for another 522 yards (6.9 average).

https://247sports.com/college/lsu/Article/Leonard-Fournette-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-contract-details-Jacksonville-Jaguars-LSU-Tigers-Football-151005766/

 

https://www.jacksonville.com/sports/20181230/tom-coughlin-rips-fournette-yeldon-as-disrespectful-and-selfish

I think that was after Coughlin voided part of LF's contract.  Yea, Tom, you really know how to motivate your players (not!).

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Some comments from a Tampa Bay forum, regarding LF:

Great news. Think about this. The Bucs were planning all along to add a veteran RB. They settled for McCoy after losing out on better options. Nobody would have thought we would get a guy of Fournettes abilities. But now it seems like we will. He won’t take over for Jones, but he will be part of a 1-2 punch. I don’t care who’s 1 and who’s 2.

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Not too excited only 1 rock and he’s pretty much our goal line back as of now

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Dude the Jags offense was predictable and no threats in the passing game. And a poor o-line. I can’t think of any other RB that faced as many 8-9 guys in the box as Fournette the last 3 years.

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Man am I out of lockstep with this fanbase. This makes the drafting of Rojo and Vaughn look even worse.

Its unreal we’ve sunk this number of assets into the RB position and we don’t have a single guy that is a weapon in the Passing Game and a reliable Pass Protector. And we spent a 3rd round draft pick on the RB position this year! And we eschewed huge value and possible big talent at Edge and iDL in the process!

And for 3.5 Million? Everyone is cheering and I feel like this needs a Rojo/Vaughn draft montage with Fournette whiffing in Pass Protection

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We don’t have quality but boy do we have quantity!

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Imagine being upset because we upgraded at RB. This fan base is full of cringey whiners. It’s a 1 year deal for not a lot of money for a guy who can make a bad oline look good. 1600 yards from scrimmage. Just stfu

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I’d keep 5 RBs and 5 WRs at this point. Tyler Johnson would go to the PS (with Calais), unless he was poached. I wouldn’t let Ogunbowale go… maybe Shady, but I’d personally prefer to keep him if he has some juice left.

I hope it’s less than 3.5 (unless that includes significant incentives that are tough to reach).

As mentioned in another post, I like that Fournette has a contrasting style- Rojo and Fournette could be an intriguing timeshare keeping both fresh.

We definitely flooded the position… cream will rise throughout the season… and there’s a good chance that Fournette and Shady will be gone next year.

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Prediction: as soon as he knows the playbook, he will take over the starting job. He’s a great WR… and despite whatever advanced metrics say about him… he is also an elite runner. Jacksonville had a bad O-line… and the entire offense was predictable and focussed around him. He must put in the effort on pass pro. But, he’s on a 1 year deal and will be motivated.

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Yes, it does make those 2nd and 3rd round picks (RB) look even worse.

With that said, I don’t see how signing Fournette for basically his rookie deal is a bad thing. Plus he’s looking for a new contract, so we should see Fournette at his best.

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Meanwhile… Fournette. I really don’t care about the advanced metrics on him… because those metrics don’t take into account that the Jags basically continued just handing the ball to him, even when everyone knew they were handing the ball to him. The o-line stunk. They were protecting a rookie QB with conservative play calling. And… because the o-line stunk, the average yards per catch were low… as the ball how to come out immediately. Nevertheless, Fournette is as good, if not better, than Shady at catching the ball. He is as strong, if not stronger, at running the ball than ROJO. He is more elusive than Rojo. YES, Fournette better be willing to pass pro (if not, he will be benched)… but neither Rojo nor Shady are proven to be good at that.

All of this to say… he is better than either Shady or Rojo at the things that those two guys are best at. This is an upgrade. It may take a month to learn the playbook, but Fournette is a way better RB than the other two.

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In Jacksonville, Leonard Fournette faced a loaded box on 47.8% of his snaps in 2017, 39.1.% in 2018 and 34.7% in 2019. With an aerial attack featuring Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs saw a loaded box on just 21.5% of snaps — third-lowest in the NFL, per NFL Next Gen.

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We just signed a young bonafide three down stud back. It’s a great day to be a Bucs fan. Ready to start this season already.

 

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Bad news for Grant Delpit, out for the season:

Aug. 25 -

The Browns announced it has placed safety Grant Delpit on injured reserve.

That was expected after the second-round choice ruptured his Achilles in Monday’s practice. Delpit will require surgery to repair the injury.

The Browns were planning for Delpit to start at free safety, and now, his rookie season is over before he plays a game.

Delpit’s injury happened on a non-contact play before the start of team drills.

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Rookie Rashard Lawrence Making An Impression On Cardinals

Notes: Mistaken identity for Jordan Hicks; Fitz sits in practice

Sep 02, 2020 at 04:02 PM
 

NewUrbanMug

Darren Urban

azcardinals.com

 

Rookie defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence takes part in a drill during Wednesday's training camp practice.

Photo by Arizona Cardinals
Rookie defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence takes part in a drill during Wednesday's training camp practice.

Rashard Lawrence is only a rookie, and he wasn't even the first defensive lineman the Cardinals drafted in April.

But Lawrence, the four-time captain at national champion LSU, has certainly left an impression on his new team – and teammates – even in a training camp without games.

"He does stuff already you wouldn't expect a rookie to do," veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips said. "I asked (defensive line coach Brentson Buckner), 'How did he drop to the fourth round? This is the best D-lineman I've seen in a long time.'

"I know it's high praise for a rookie but just his mechanics and his techniques, it's already through the roof. The sky is the limit for him."

The Cards are young on the defensive line, counting on second-year man Zach Allen to combine with Phillips and fellow veteran Corey Peters to lead the group. Beyond that, there is Lawrence and the fourth-round pick before him, Leki Fotu, along with holdovers Jonathan Bullard, Michael Dogbe and Miles Brown.

But it is Lawrence who has been earning the praise, like when coach Kliff Kingsbury mentioned his name on a recent episode of Cards Camp Central when asked if there was a player who had caught his eye.

"He has really stepped in and has been competitive from day one," Kingsbury said. "I'm really impressed with his tenacity, day in and day out."

While Fotu has been described as "raw," Lawrence has shown he has polish of a player who spent four years in an SEC program.

What's more, he has a personality that's already been embraced.

"He has a workman mentality," Buckner said. "When the switch goes on in football practice, you see a totally different guy. The urgency goes up, he's flying to the ball, he's hustling. He's one of those guys when the coach says, 'Work so hard you're about to pass out.' That's Rashard. But as soon as the horn sounds and we're done and back at the hotel, it's slow motion. Summer breeze, lemonade tea, he's not burning a whole bunch of calories.

"But he's stepped in like he's a five-year veteran already."

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I am really happy to hear this about Rashard.  I would have put #18 on Rashard last year.  He's a leader, quiet, but leads by example.  In 2017 after the Troy loss, Rashard and a few others called a players only meeting.  Not sure what was said, but Rashard came out and the defense stepped up against Fla. and they won that game, then kept on improving through the season.  He has physical skills, but mentally he is tough and seems smart.  I would want him on my team.  High character guy.

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There is a lot of talk on the morning ESPN shows about Clyde, maximizing his opportunity.  His vision and agility within 3 yards of the line of scrimmage are excellent.  He didn't spin, yet.  His cuts are not as good as Barry Sanders, but he's got very good moves.  I will watch this season, I want to see him spin out of a tackle, create an "Alabama moment" in the NFL.  After the game they asked Mahomes about him, Patrick said he's smart and he works hard.

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They asked one of Clyde's teammates from the defense what they thought of the rookie.  This guy was big, had to be 6' 6", he said folks say Clyde is small, but he said that is not right, Clyde is short, but he is not small.  He carries normal weight for a running back, most list him at 207.  Announcers said they noticed that Clyde did not catch a pass and they know he can catch.  So, Andy Reid must be saving some tricks for future games where it will be needed.  Mahomes smiled when they asked him about Clyde in the after-game press conference when they were in street cloths.  He reiterated what he had said on the field, Clyde works hard.  He said Clyde made some mistakes but he will learn and get better.

They took Clyde out on 3rd down and short and put in Darrel Williams, and he picked up first downs.  Williams has more power.

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Saints vs. Bucs will be a near-national broadcast on Fox.  Marque matchup, Brady vs. Brees.  Saints are favored by 3.5 pts.  California and Arizona will see Niner's vs. Cardinals.  Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the Saints game, They want a QB to analyze the QB play.  I bet Troy will enjoy watching that one, two hall of fame QB's.  The big question is how good is Brady at this age (43, as of August).  Statistically his production has been falling off, but was it Tom, or was it the Patriots?  I'm interested in Devin White and Fournette.

Heck, Drew Brees is 41, does he still have it?

Date: September 13
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX

Bucs also have Kevin Minter, but he is not a starter.

Edited by houtiger
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15 hours ago, houtiger said:

Saints vs. Bucs will be a near-national broadcast on Fox.  Marque matchup, Brady vs. Brees.  Saints are favored by 3.5 pts.  California and Arizona will see Niner's vs. Cardinals.  Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the Saints game, They want a QB to analyze the QB play.  I bet Troy will enjoy watching that one, two hall of fame QB's.  The big question is how good is Brady at this age (43, as of August).  Statistically his production has been falling off, but was it Tom, or was it the Patriots?  I'm interested in Devin White and Fournette.

Heck, Drew Brees is 41, does he still have it?

Date: September 13
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX

Bucs also have Kevin Minter, but he is not a starter.

The Saints game and the Bengals game are on at the same time.  I wanna see how Burrow does too.  I dont even watch NFL usually but may flip back and forth between these games

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