Tampa Bay Buccaneers Expected to Part Ways With Star Running Back Fournette

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for a potentially transformative offseason, and that may mean parting ways with some established veterans. According to Fox Sports' Greg Auman, the Bucs could cut ties with several veterans in order to sneak under the salary cap, including running back Leonard Fournette.

The Bucs are $55 million over the projected salary cap for 2023 before they sign a single free agent or draft pick. Here’s our our plan for how they get under the cap, with tough cuts, restructures and extensions: https://t.co/tAGC6ALAeD
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) January 25, 2023

Cutting Fournette would clear at least $3.4 million in cap space, depending on whether they designate him a post-June 1 cut. Fournette struggled mightily as an interior runner this season, averaging 3.5 yards per carry across his 668 yards, but he remains an effective receiver out of the backfield, totalling 523 receiving yards at a respectable 6.3 yards per target.

Fournette was ill-served by a mediocre offensive line this season: his 3.5 yards per attempt actually exceeded the team average of 3.4. Still, as the Bucs brace for the increasingly inevitable departure of quarterback Tom Brady, they'll need to tear down their current roster in order to rebuild for the future. They're currently $55 million over the cap, and they'll need to scrape together savings wherever they can. Letting the Bucs' cheaper, younger backs fight it out for reps makes sense.