Should the Steelers sign former Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette?

Former top-five draft pick, Leonard Fournette, was recently cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Should the Pittsburgh Steelers give the running back a call?

Leonard Fournette is a player that has drawn a lot of buzz since entering the league back in 2017. The LSU product ending up being the 4th overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars where he would go on to have two 1,000-yard seasons. Recently, however, the Jaguars released Fournette with a year remaining on his rookie deal. Should the Steelers give him a call?

Pittsburgh is currently deeper at the running back position then they’ve been in years. With players like James Conner, Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, and possibly even Jaylen Samuels on the roster heading into the season, the Steelers have a variety of backs who offer different skill sets.

However, despite their depth, Pittsburgh doesn’t have any stars at the running back position. Conner has proven to be a successful pick as a former compensatory third-round selection by the team in 2017, but he’s often banged up and has only proven to be average in terms of efficiency.

Should the Steelers sign Leonard Fournette?

Fans have very different opinions on the Steelers current running back situation and on the idea of signing a player like Leonard Fournette. While I can see the advantages of having a bruising back with his combination of size and speed, this is a player Pittsburgh may want to steer clear of.

Despite his production in 2019 (1,152 rushing yards, 76 catches, and 522 receiving yards), Fournette has always been more of a volume runner who isn’t the most efficient football player. After averaging 3.9 and 3.3 yards per carry in his first two NFL seasons, respectively, Fournette finally brought that number up to 4.3 yards per carry in 2019.

But even with this jump in efficiency last year, there are other reasons to avoid Fournette altogether. Like Conner, Fournette has difficulty staying on the football field as he has missed 12 games in his first three seasons in the league. He’s a player who constantly seems to be fighting through injuries.

Perhaps the biggest reason to avoid Fournettte, however, has to do with his issues in the locker room. Fournette was suspended in 2018 for leaving the bench and getting into a fight with Buffalo Bills defensive end, Shaq Lawson. Last year, Fournette was arrested for driving with a suspended license.

Though we don’t have all of the details, his character concerns must be legitimate if the Jaguars are willing to part with Fournette after the running back is coming off the best sesaon of his career and still on his rookie contract.

It’s possible that Leonard Fournette could prove to be a very solid runner if signed by the Steelers. However, with Pittsburgh already possessing very good depth at the position, this is a gamble they don’t need to make. Fournette should sign relatively cheap, but he may not be worth the headache in the locker room.