Jaguars Add Veteran Depth at Running Back With Abdullah Signing

The Jaguars signed running back Ameer Abdullah on Monday, adding a veteran presence to their backfield rotation. Abdullah, 32, spent last season with Indianapolis primarily on special teams, recording 60 rushing yards with one touchdown and 16 receptions for 99 yards in limited offensive snaps. The move comes as Jacksonville continues assembling depth at the position following the waiver of running back Ja'Quinden Jackson.

Abdullah's three seasons with the Raiders (2022-2024) marked his most productive stretch in recent years. He accumulated 311 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground, plus 40 receptions for 261 yards and three receiving scores. That production was meaningful but hardly explosive—he averaged 3.8 yards per carry and filled a change-of-pace role. At 32, with 154 career games and 26 starts across five different franchises, Abdullah is a journeyman depth piece, not a feature back.

Jacksonville's backfield situation remains in flux. The organization has been active in recent weeks—re-signing offensive lineman Sal Wormley and placing Jordan White on the reserve/retired list alongside the Abdullah acquisition and Jackson's waiver. These moves suggest the Jaguars are still calibrating their offensive roster without signaling any major overhaul at the running back position. Abdullah will likely operate in a committee framework, handling third-down passing situations and occasional fill-in snaps.

For bettors, the Abdullah signing presents a mild headwind for Jacksonville's team rushing totals. Abdullah's arrival doesn't materially upgrade the rushing attack—his career 3.8 yards-per-carry mark sits well below league average—but it does confirm the Jaguars are thinking committee depth rather than consolidating carries to a single back. If Jacksonville's season rushing total is projected in a range that assumes heavy volume concentration to one runner, the shift toward a deeper rotation introduces compression risk. Watch how the market prices Jaguars team rushing props over the coming weeks; any unjustified enthusiasm on Jacksonville rushing totals should be faded until clarity emerges on the primary back's role and workload.

The signing itself is low-impact noise for the 2026 season. Abdullah is a depth piece on a veteran minimum likely deal, not a catalyst for major lineup changes. His presence sharpens Jacksonville's ability to rest a primary back and diversifies offensive coordinator optionality, but it doesn't suggest confidence in a rushing-heavy gameplan. Bettors should treat this as organizational housekeeping rather than a signal of fundamental change.