Leonard Fournette would have to clear waivers for Chiefs to sign him
By Matt Conner
The price on Leonard Fournette needs to drop before the Chiefs step in.
The Jacksonville Jaguars just placed an intriguing addition on the conveyor belt that runs past every NFL general manager as they consider roster moves in the final week before cuts are due. The Jags will place star running back Leonard Fournette on waivers as they look to move on from the former first round pick.
For the Kansas City Chiefs, any chance of getting Fournette is reliant upon two pieces falling into place. The first is absolute and the second is likely.
First, every other team would have to avoid claiming Fournette in order for him to even fall to the Chiefs as a potential addition. The Chiefs aren’t exactly first in the waiver order given their status as defending Super Bowl champs. This means that if another team is willing to pay north of $4 million for the 2020 season in order to add Fournette to the backfield, the Chiefs may have any decision made for them.
Second, that cap hit is important to note. As of now, the Chiefs have nearly $14 million in cap space ($13.8 million per Over the Cap). That’s plenty of money to handle Fournette’s addition and still have enough for regular season emergency fund, used for in-season additions needed because of injuries and so on. However the Chiefs are likely viewing those funds with a long-term perspective in mind—one that will allow them to roll those cap savings over into next year when the cap ceiling takes a fairly significant one, perhaps as low as $175 million.
The Chiefs are already set up for a championship run. They have a quality backfield without Fournette with the emergence of rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire, their first-round pick back in April. Yes, Damien Williams is gone, but the team still has a stable of promising backs who should be able to carry the load in relief of Edwards-Helaire. The drop, however, is fairly precipitous from the top of the depth chart to next in line.
Here’s where any potential addition could come into view for Fournette. If the Chiefs want to bolster the backfield with security for a 19 or 20 game run, then Fournette could be an important add. But to do so, the team would also like ask him to take a pay cut. Fournette is expensive at $4 million, but at half price, it’s much more palatable.
Fournette had 265 rushes for 1,152 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns last season and brings a physical dimension lacking in the Chiefs backfield at this point. Healso caught 76 passes for 522 yards. His experience and ceiling would help offset a fairly inexperienced room overall. However, the Chiefs are already talented enough to “run it back” and any luxury addition, such as this, needs to be at a price point that makes sense for the short and long haul.
If Fournette passes through waivers, it will be interesting to see if the Chiefs will strike