5 free agents Jaguars should be praised for ignoring

No. 2 player the Jaguars avoided in free agency – James Conner, RB.

The Jaguars have a pair of young running backs in James Robinson and Travis Etienne, who have the potential to form one of the most dynamic tandems in the NFL. But one reason why this isn’t discussed much it’s that both players are coming off season-ending injuries and it will be a while before the two of them get to be on the football field at the same time.

Etienne suffered a Lisfranc injury last preseason while Robinson tore his Achilles near the end of the 2021 season. The former should be back for the Jags’ organized team activities but the latter may not be ready for the start of the season and could sit out a few games. This is why the Jaguars should add a running back to their backfield this offseason. However, they shouldn’t overpay to do so, which is precisely what the Arizona Cardinals did when they re-signed James Conner to a three-year deal $7 million contract.

Conner was the best running back in the open market but paying retail for Conner when there were other more affordable options available is kind of puzzling. He totaled 18 touchdowns and 1,127 yards from scrimmage last season. The Jags would surely welcome that kind of production to their backfield but not at that price. The Jaguars could still sign someone like Melvin Gordon or Sony Michel but at this point, it seems like they will address the position in the 2022 draft.