Bill Belichick's reputation still precedes him.
Leonard Fournette became a free agent Tuesday after the Jacksonville Jaguars surprisingly waived their star running back. If you follow the Patriots, you know what came next: speculation about New England swooping in to sign Fournette for pennies on the dollar.
The Patriots were even listed as co-betting favorites to sign Fournette at some sportsbooks as of Tuesday. But NFL Media's Mike Giardi tossed a wet blanket on the Fournette rumors Wednesday morning.
Sony Michel is recovering from offseason ankle surgery while the recently-signed Lamar Miller is on the Physically Unable to Perform list, so the Patriots pursuing an early-down bruiser like Fournette isn't far-fetched, especially if they could get him on a favorable contract.