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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills have made a significant addition to their roster, as veteran running back Leonard Fournette has officially signed with the team, according to his agents.
Fournette has passed a physical examination and will begin his tenure with the team on their practice squad, according to agents David Canter and Ness Mugrabi, who made the announcement on Monday.
This move comes shortly after the Bills placed running back Damien Harris on injured reserve due to a neck strain and his placement in concussion protocol. Harris suffered a major injury in the team’s Week 6 victory over the New York Giants, necessitating his departure from the field in an ambulance.
When asked about Harris’ availability for the remainder of the season, coach Sean McDermott expressed uncertainty, stating, “We’ll see. I don’t know. I can’t answer that one way or the other right now. I can’t say yes, and I can’t say no.”
With Harris sidelined, Fournette will join a talented Bills running back depth chart headlined by second-year player James Cook, who leads the team in rushing yards and touchdowns. The depth chart also includes experienced veterans Latavius Murray and Ty Johnson.
Prior to joining the Bills, Fournette was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the start of the 2023 season. Fournette stated that the release was a result of his request and that there is no animosity between him and the franchise.
While Murray has started the last three games for the Bills, Cook has seen a significant increase in carries, almost doubling the amount of carries that Murray has had during those games. Cook has also seen more playing time overall compared to Murray. Cook has proven to be an effective receiving option as well this season.
After Harris was placed on injured reserve, the Bills signed Ty Johnson to their active roster. However, this left them without a running back on the practice squad. Murray has been utilized as a goal-line back and has seen some success in that role, although Fournette’s previous experience suggests he could excel in similar situations.
Fournette signed a three-year contract with the Buccaneers prior to last season, but factors such as Tom Brady’s retirement influenced his decision to pursue other opportunities. In his tenure with the Buccaneers, Fournette had a total of 3,057 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Fournette gained prominence during the Buccaneers’ playoff run, earning the moniker “Playoff Lenny” and later “Lombardi Lenny.” In Super Bowl LV, he rushed for 135 yards as the Buccaneers secured a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Throughout his career, Fournette has accumulated impressive statistics, with a total of 6,697 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was initially selected as the fourth overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2017 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this report.
