NFL Rumors: Bengals Won't Sign Leonard Fournette, Xavien Howard to Contracts

Free-agent running back Leonard Fournette and free-agent cornerback Xavien Howard reportedly will not be signing contracts after visiting the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the Bengals made Howard an offer, but the two sides were not able to agree to a deal:

Meanwhile, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported Fournette will not be signing with the team, either. Schultz reported the Bengals will instead be signing former New York Giants running back Gary Brightwell, who will begin on the practice squad.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero previously reported Cincinnati was working out Fournette.

Fournette won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020-21 season and last played with the Buffalo Bills in 2023. He appeared in just two games with the Bills, racking up 40 yards on 12 carries.

Fournette previously recorded 668 rush yards with the Buccaneers in 2022 and owns a career average of 3.9 yards per carry.

Howard spent the first eight seasons of his career as a member of the Miami Dolphins before he was released in March.

The Bengals could use an experienced cornerback after allowing 35 points to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in a loss on Thursday that dropped them to 4-6 through 10 games.

Jackson threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns in the victory without getting sacked, completing 75.8 percent of his passes.

Howard has four Pro Bowl nods under his belt, including three straight selections from 2020 through 2022. He's racked up 331 tackles, 95 passes defensed, 29 interceptions and four forced fumbles throughout his career.

The 31-year-old took a step back in 2023, which played a role in his eventual release. Howard picked off one pass and allowed 44 receptions on 71 targets in 13 starts, earning a mere 55.1 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Inconsistency from the Bengals' defense has prevented the team from meeting expectations despite impressive seasons from the star duo of quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Cincinnati is giving up 26.2 points per game in 2024, representing the seventh-worst scoring defense in the NFL.

The Bengals have scored more than 30 points in five games this season, but they own a record of just 2-3 in those contests.

Howard also has some familiarity with Cincinnati's coaching staff, as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo previously served as the Dolphins' defensive backs coach with Howard from 2016-17. Despite his ties to Anarumo, it does not appear as though there will be a reunion at this time.

Despite the Bengals' tumultuous season, they still sit just one game behind the Denver Broncos for the No. 7 seed in the AFC.