5 free agents the Jaguars could poach from AFC South rivals in 2022

No. 4 AFC South free agent the Jaguars can sign – Marlon Mack, RB.

As recently as 2019, running back looked like a rising star, racking up 1,091 yards with eight touchdowns on 247 carries. However, injuries and the emergence of Jonathan Taylor in 2020 made him an afterthought on the Indianapolis Colts defense over the last two seasons.

A fourth-round pick by Indy in 2017, Mack tore his ACL in the first week of the 2020 season. He entered the 2021 campaign as the No. 3 running back on the Colts’ depth chart and hardly saw the field, amassing just 28 carries for 101 yards. He was a healthy scratch a good chunk of the season and could benefit from a fresh start somewhere else.

Last season, Mack signed a one-year deal worth $2 million and could sign a similar one this offseason. There won’t be many teams offering a starting job and may have to settle on a backup job, which could make him a good fit in Jacksonville. Travis Etienne is coming off a Lisfranc injury he suffered last preseason and James Robinson tore his Achilles late in the 2021 season. While Etienne is poised to return for training camp (maybe sooner), Robinson may not be available for the start of the 2022 campaign, so the Jaguars should err on the side of caution and sign a running back with starting experience.

Mack could be a low-key, solid addition to the Jags’ running back room in free agency. Signing him would allow the front office to focus on other positional groups this offseason.