Marrone: Fournette, Minshew may need to address Newton comment

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Leonard Fournette may have rubbed quarterback Gardner Minshew the wrong way after lobbying for the Jacksonville Jaguars to sign Cam Newton.

"You know, with players, you're always going to have friends (who say) like, 'Hey, this guy should come, or that guy should come,' and you try to talk to the players about talking about the team and doing what is best and keeping a single message," head coach Doug Marrone said Friday, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk. "But then a lot of times you're going to have to be able to communicate in that locker room, I mean that is the big thing with me.

"I mean, we all talk about men are all men and everything, when you are in that locker room, you've got to say, 'Hey, listen, I said this because I really think this is best for the team,' and if you can't say this is what's best for the team, then you're going to have issues ... It's not like a coach can get in between two players and fix something. You know, these things have to be fixed among each other at times and the coach can go in there and try to guide it through."

Fournette turned heads Thursday when he clamored for the Jaguars to sign Newton, a former MVP, during an appearance on ESPN.

"Cam went to the Super Bowl. He's a great guy. I've been knowing Cam for a minute now," the running back said. "And like I told some people that talked to me, it's no disrespect to Minshew. I'm just trying to get in the best position as a team as we can (to) win."

Newton has been a free agent since late March when the Carolina Panthers released him. The 30-year-old is coming off back-to-back injury-plagued seasons.

Minshew, meanwhile, is looking to build on a solid rookie campaign that saw him play extensively following a Week 1 clavicle injury to Nick Foles. The Jaguars traded Foles to the Chicago Bears this offseason.

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