Running back Ameer Abdullah never quite lived up to his second-round status. The running back never had more than 597 yards rushing in a season during his career, and even that was when he was a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015. Last season with the Indianapolis Colts, Abdullah only ran the ball 14 times.
Still, the 33-year-old veteran did play a key role on special teams. Even at his advanced age for an NFL running back, he maintained a lot of his quickness and speed, which made him a dangerous kick returner. Last year, he averaged 29.6 yards per kick return, which would have tied for third-best in the league had he had enough returns.
Indy chose not to bring back Abdullah in free agency, and he signed with Indy's AFC South rival, the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to Jaguars Wire writer Paul Bretl, though, Abdullah is on the outside looking in as far as earning a roster spot.
Former Indianapolis Colts running back Ameer Abdullah is barely holding on with the Jacksonville Jaguars
Bretl wrote, "If...Abdullah can stand out on special teams; they could make a case for being the fourth back on the roster -- although it's uncommon for teams to keep that many."
In 2025, Jacksonville kept four running backs on the roster for a lot of the season. The team still had Travis Eitenne, a true RB1 and productive back. He left the team this offseason to sign with the New Orleans Saints, however. The Jaguars don't truly have a replacement for him on the roster.
What's clear is that Ameer Abdullah won't be that player. He's never been an RB1 in his career, and he isn't suddenly going to start now. Since 2018, he hasn't had a season with more than 66 rushes. In three of the last four years, he's had 15 or fewer.
His only real chance of hanging on with the Jacksonville Jaguars is to impress as a kick returner, as he did with the Indianapolis Colts. The problem is that the Jags also have DeeJay Dallas on the bloated roster currently, and Dallas is six years younger than Abdullah and has the same skill set. Neither player is overly expensive.
Colts fans, even while Abdullah only spent one season with the team, might wish the running back well. He's simply trying to hold on to a career that pays him well for as long as he can. Most of us probably feel the same way about our own employment.
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