5 pending free agent RBs the Jaguars should consider signing
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ top three needs are clearly on the offensive line and at receiver and tight end, but those aren’t the only places where they could afford to make additions on offense this offseason.
There is also a lot of uncertainty at the running back position. Travis Etienne appears to be back on track to return from a Lisfranc injury, but the Jags don’t really know what they have in him as he only took the field for limited preseason snaps as a rookie. Additionally, James Robinson will be recovering from an Achilles tear he sustained late in the season against the New York Jets.
With the aforementioned players being atop the depth chart at the position, the Jags would be wise to add help at running back. April’s draft class would certainly be a good place to look, but the team may want to add a proven player at the position as the Jags will have at least $55 million available in cap space.
That said, here are some reasonable options they could consider in free agency for a position they shouldn’t be looking to break the bank on.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – NOVEMBER 17: Marlon Mack #25 of the Indianapolis Colts runs with the ball during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Marlon Mack is a player the Jags are very familiar with as he’s spent the first five seasons of his career with their divisional rivals in the Indianapolis Colts. In the process, he accumulated 2,484 yards and 20 touchdowns through 567 carries. But after tearing his Achilles in 2020 and the Colts’ addition of Jonathan Taylor, the last two seasons have been relatively quiet for Mack.
However, he’s set to be a free agent this season, and a change of scenery could be what he needs. With the Jags bringing in former Colts assistant Press Taylor to be their offensive coordinator, Jacksonville seems like a good spot. Furthermore, it would bring Mack back to his native state as he is from Sarasota, which is about 252 miles away from Jacksonville.
The Jags weren’t very good on offense last season, and they needed to find creative ways to manufacture yards. Mack is a player who did that well through yards after contact early in his career, and if he can get back to that, he certainly could push Carlos Hyde out of the mix as the Jags’ RB3.
Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Corey Clement (32) warms up prior to the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sticking with the trend of familiar faces to the staff, Corey Clement’s first NFL head coach was Doug Pederson as the Philadelphia Eagles signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2017. While with the team, he accumulated 655 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground through 163 carries. He also had some respectable numbers as a receiver, bringing in 37 catches for 340 yards and two touchdowns.
Clement spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys, and his numbers weren’t as impressive as they were at the beginning of his career with Pederson. Maybe that could cause him to look for a reunion in Jacksonville where he’d at least be a solid receiving threat and help the Jags’ young running backs grasp the new offense.
Ronald Jones
Jan 2, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones (27) carries the ball as New York Jets middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) pursues during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
If the Jags want a player who has starting and notable postseason experience, Tampa Bay Bucs running back Ronald Jones might be worth a look. As a former second-round pick, Jones understands what it’s like to work under high expectations and he’s likely learned a lot under coach Bruce Arians and coordinator Byron Leftwich.
In 2021, Jones saw a decrease in starts (three) with Leonard Fournette being the team’s RB1 and only finished the season with 428 rushing yards. The Bucs also have Ke’Shawn Vaughn on the roster, who they will likely want to see more of this upcoming season. That said, Jones looks like he could be playing for another team this season, and the Jags may be interested with all the uncertainty they have at running back.
Jones has proven he can carry the load if needed, and his 2020 season was proof. During that stretch he accumulated 978 rushing yards, putting him 22 yards away from 1,000.
Phillip Lindsay
Sep 12, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Phillip Lindsay (30) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
There was a time when Phillip Lindsay was on his way to taking over the league, but he hasn’t come close to a 1,000-yard season since 2019. However, some feel he should get one more chance to revive his career, and if he signs for cheap, taking a shot on Lindsay couldn’t hurt the Jags.
Lindsay will enter this season with 2,799 career rushing yards through 633 carries, which is good for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. It’s very unlikely that he will ever put up the RB1 numbers that he did in Denver, but if they can get him to be a 300-400 yard type of rusher, that could help a running game that finished 23rd overall and endured several injuries in 2021 tremendously.
Chase Edmonds
Jan 17, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds (2) runs against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during the second quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic
Chase Edmonds is the only rusher on this list who will be coming off a career year after garnering 592 rushing yards through 116 carries. As a result, Arizona is now hoping to retain him and James Conner after the two complemented each other so well and combined for 1,344 rushing yards, 80 catches for 686 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns.
Retaining Edmonds might be easier said than done, though. The Cardinals are just about $2,000 under the cap and have some decisions to make between Kyler Murray wanting a new contract, as well as Conner and Chandler Jones being due for new contracts. That said, Edmonds could slip through the cracks, and while he isn’t a No.1 running back, there should be a pretty good market for him.
Like some of the aforementioned names, Edmonds has starting experience and has managed to garner a career total of 1,551 career rushing yards throughout four seasons. However, his best seasons are likely ahead of him. If the Jags are concerned about James Robinson’s return from Achilles surgery and future with the team, Edmonds could be a good option to pair Travis Etienne with for a few years.
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