The Big Lead

Leonard Fournette Pitches Cam Newton Over Gardner Minshew Again

By Liam McKeone

Leonard Fournette and his second option at quarterback
Leonard Fournette and his second option at quarterback / James Gilbert/Getty Images
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Leonard Fournette is entering the final year of his contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's one of the few remaining members from the 2017 squad that tasted the type of success the Jaguars have rarely seen this century after making it all the way to the AFC Championship Game.

To that end, Fournette has been on a recruiting trail of sorts after Cam Newton was released by the Carolina Panthers, seemingly at the expense of the incumbent quarterback who started most of last season with Fournette, Gardner Minshew. Right after Newton was officially released, Fournette posted a since-deleted Instagram photo asking if they were going to team up:

Fournette doubled down in an appearance on First Take on Thursday after being asked about said Instagram post, giving an elevator pitch to Newton on why he should come on down to Jacksonville:

"I feel like Cam, Cam went to the Super Bowl. He's a great guy, I've been knowing Cam for a minute now," said Fournette. "Like I told some people that talked to me, it's no disrespect to Minshew. I'm just trying to get into the best position as a team [so] we can win. That's all that was about. Just friendly competition because [it] brings out the best in people."

I can't imagine Minshew took too much offense to his teammate wanting to bring in Newton, a former MVP. Newton has been an undeniably great player in the league, and from all of Minshew's press conferences last season, he's the type of guy who respects his competition but firmly believes he's better, as is the mindset required to be a professional athlete.

Still! Not exactly a resounding vote of confidence from Fournette in his explanation for why he wants Newton in Jacksonville. It seems unlikely the front office will bring him in after trading Nick Foles and Calais Campbell this offseason; they appear to understand that it's time to start from the ground up (again) and have nothing to lose by giving Minshew a leg up in the battle for the starting quarterback position. We'll see if Fournette gets his way, though.