The Buffalo Bills are releasing Super Bowl-winning running back Leonard Fournette after the 32-year-old played just two games down the stretch of the regular season.
Fournette signed to the Bills’ practice squad on Halloween to bolster Buffalo’s running back room. But it took him nearly two months to get elevated up to the active roster. He had 12 carries for 40 yards in action during the Bills’ December games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins.
Bills coach Sean McDermott elevated wide receiver Andy Isabella and linebacker A.J. Klein in the team’s playoff opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fournette was left off the active roster in favor of veteran running back Latavius Murray, who was inactive in both games that Fournette played.
McDermott didn’t want to get into the specifics when he confirmed that the team moved on from Fournette on Tuesday.
“We wish him well,” McDermott said. “He did a great job while he was here. Not going to get into the reasons why or anything, and it wasn’t anything conduct-wise or anything like that. He did a phenomenal job. ... We move forward and we wish him well and thank him for his time when he was with us here.”
Fournette won a Super Bowl in 2020 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and earned the nickname “Playoff Lenny” for his production during Tampa’s run to the Lombardi Trophy. He had 64 carries for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the four Buccaneers playoff games.
The Bills are banged up at linebacker and defensive back. They were without starter Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) against the Steelers and lost Terrel Bernard (ankle) and Baylon Spector (back) during the game. Rasul Douglas (knee) didn’t play either and starter Christian Benford left the game with a knee injury, too. Buffalo could look to add a veteran player at either position to fill the vacant spot on the practice squad left by Fournette.
“Yeah, possibly,” McDermott said Tuesday when asked if the Bills will add a player. “and then that’ll kind of be forthcoming – any move we would make the next 24 hours possibly.”
Veteran punter Sam Martin suffered a hamstring injury during the win over the Steelers. If he’s hampered by the injury the Bills may also look to add a punter to the practice squad.
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