TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers Todd Bowles, coach, said that he is open to running back Leonard Fournette’s weight, and he looked much slimmer in the Bucs’ first training camp practice Wednesday compared to the Bucs’ mandatory minicamp in June.
Fournette stated to ESPN that he weighed 244 pounds at training camp. This was after a Tampa Bay Times article said he weighed 265 at mandatory minicamp. It upset the coaching staff.
“Leonard looked good,” Bowles said Wednesday. “I don’t know too many players in the offseason that are going to stay in shape year-around. So long as they are in good shape during training camp. He ran great in the test yesterday – he’s explosive, he’s quick and we’re happy with him.”
Bowles did not criticize Fournette’s weight at minicamp, and Fournette said at the time that he weighed “240ish.” Fournette has also been very open about the challenges of keeping his weight down in the offseason – something he said he’s experienced every offseason of his career — and even poked fun at himself by superimposing his head on a much larger man’s body.
He wrote, “Camp in 2 days love y’all I’m off.”
Camp in 2 Days love y’all, I’m off pic.twitter.com/lTEZgv4ql5
— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) July 24, 2022
Fournette will enter training camp as the clear-cut starting running back this year, and he is expected to be there every down.
Last season, there was no starter and Fournette was the one battling. Ronald Jones For the starting role.
Fournette had the edge, however, based on his playoff performance in 2020, when he led the Bucs with 448 scrimmage yards in the Bucs’ four postseason games. Fournette continued that feat with 1,266 scrimmage yard totals and 10 touchdowns in 2021’s regular season. He then missed the final two games because of a hamstring injury.
Jones signed with Kansas City Chiefs Fournette signed a contract for this offseason three-year contract worth $21 million to stay with the Bucs. Fournette’s competition now comes from third-round draft pick Rachaad WhiteThird-year running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn Veteran Giovani Bernard.
“I feel like he’s in great shape right now, “Bowles said of Fournette. “Obviously, everybody can get in a little better shape. You don’t want to arrive at camp in a pristine state. As you enter camp, you want to be in better, more athletic shape. So that’s natural that he’s going to drop about 4 or 5 pounds – not just him, but we have several guys like that, which is only natural. However, he is able to play and run the ball right now.