3 former Jaguars who could return to Jacksonville in free agency

No. 2 former player the Jaguars could sign in 2022 – Leonard Fournette, RB.

David Caldwell hardly ever kept any of the players he and the Jaguars acquired during his tenure. Based on all the moves he made, it seems like he was always looking to replenish the roster and that approach might have worked if he had been good at identifying and acquiring talent, which wasn’t the case.

Caldwell always try to get the best possible compensation when making a trade but wasn’t able to turn the assets he got into difference-makers. Sometimes, he couldn’t even pull off a deal. For example, the Jags released running back Leonard Fournette before the start of the 2020 season when they failed to find someone interested in his services.

Looking back, things worked out pretty well for Fournette, as he went on to win a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the same year he was cut by the Jags. The former LSU Tiger was an invaluable contributor during the Bucs’ championship run, racking up 64 carries for 300 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 18 receptions for 148 yards and one touchdown.

It’s not as if the Jags didn’t know the man known as “playoff/Super Bowl Lenny” could play. Back in Jacksonville, he posted two 1,000 yard seasons. Had James Robinson not signed as an undrafted free agent, the Jaguars would have had one of the best running back tandems in the NFL but instead of realizing the kind of talent he had at hand, Caldwell chose to cut ties with Fournette. WIth Robinson coming off a torn Achilles, and Travis Etienne suffering a Lisfranc injury last preseason, the Jaguars’ should err on the side of caution and add another running back this offseason. Maybe they can convince Fournette to return.