Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette's weight at 245 as camp begins

As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers begin their training camp, running back Leonard Fournette continues facing questions about his weight. The former LSU star recently made headlines after reportedly showing up to a team minicamp 30 pounds overweight. The Buccaneers coaching staff was allegedly furious with their running back’s offseason conditioning as he had just signed a three-year extension worth $24 million.

On Monday, Fournette arrived for the team’s official training camp with a reported weight of 245 — 15 pounds lower than his supposed minicamp weight.

Leonard Fournette’s camp weight

The news that Fournette arrived at camp with a significant weight drop shows that he is clearly ramping up his conditioning for the start of the season, but raises additional concerns given his trainer’s description of his weight-loss regimen. A large factor in Fournette’s weight-loss ahead of training camp was his use of a sauna, helping lose water-weight in a short period of time, as explained by a Pro Football Talk report.

While 245 is a big improvement, his listed weight on the Buccaneers’ website is 228 — indicating he’s got further to go still. Fournette’s trainer has previously indicated that his ideal performance weight is 235, which appears to be a very reachable goal. However, losing water-weight via a sauna has raised concerns about his health as training camp begins.

“Sitting in a hot sauna may result in a lower number on the scale but it’s simply from water loss,” said Mike Ryan, a former NFL trainer. “In doing so, dehydration from this weight-loss game plan puts the athlete at a higher risk of exertional heat illness.”

With dehydration being a concern, Fournette could be at higher risk for pulled muscles or further complications from a lack of proper hydration.

Fournette has spent the past two seasons with the Buccaneers. In 2020, he played in 13 games, rushing 97 times for 367 yards and six touchdowns. He also grabbed 36 receptions for 233 yards. This past season, Fournette took control of the backfield in Tampa Bay, rushing for 812 yards with eight touchdowns, also adding 69 receptions for 454 yards and two additional scores.

Prior to his time in Tampa Bay, Fournette spent the first three years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected fourth overall in the 2017 NFL Draft out of LSU. Fournette rushed for at least 1,000 yards in two of his first three years in the league. In 2019, he had 1,152 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. But just prior to the start of the regular season in 2020, the Jaguars cut Fournette, and he then joined the Buccaneers.