Chiefs have interest in Leonard Fournette at right price
By Mark Powell
The Chiefs incredible offseason might not be done just yet
When Fournette’s Jacksonville nightmare finally came to an end just a few short days ago, the Kansas City Chiefs were seen as an immediate suitor for the 25-year-old. Now that he’s cleared waivers, and thus no longer has a $4 million price tag attached to his name, Brett Veach and Co. reportedly have interest in creating an all-LSU backfield with he and rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Edwards-Helaire has impressed at Chiefs camp, so much so that he’s the unquestioned starter given Damien Williams’ decision to sit out the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rookie can do a little bit of everything, seen as a ‘jack of all trades’ during his time in Baton Rouge as a runner, pass-catcher and even pass-blocker. However, even CEH needs a rest every now and then.
Per FanSided’s Matt Verderame, the Chiefs are open to bringing Fournette on board to fill that role…at the right price.
My understanding is the Chiefs have potential interest in Leonard Fournette now that he's cleared waivers.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) September 1, 2020
The money would need to be right as he'd be backing up Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has impressed considerably in training camp.
Would a Fournette-CEH backfield complement each other well?
On the surface, Edwards-Helaire and Fournette don’t match the typical speedster-power back 1-2 combination that has long been the norm in the modern NFL. However, this isn’t how the Chiefs would employ Fournette. With CEH the clear, established No. 1 back, he has the freedom to wear on opposing defenses just as he did in college. His decisive, quick-witted style of running eventually takes its toll on most defensive lines. Look no further than LSU’s National Championship win against Clemson, which featured the closest thing college football can offer to a proper NFL-caliber defensive line. He ran for 110 yards on 6.9 yards-per-carry, and caught another six passes for 54 yards.
The thought of adding Fournette to that mix as an overwhelming giant of a running back on 10-15 snaps per game makes for a terrifying rushing attack behind Patrick Mahomes. Now that Brett Veach and Andy Reid received their own extensions, the only matter left in a busy offseason is securing some support behind their stud rookie at the running back position. Assuming Fournette is willing to come down on his price tag in a one-year prove-it deal, why not make the call?
Next. One of these teams needs to get Leonard Fournette on the phone right away. dark