Among the players that the Indianapolis Colts let walk in free agency was running back Ameer Abdullah. The move made sense as he is in his early 30s, not overly effective as an RB, and more of a luxury than a need. The issue is that he will now be part of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Indy's AFC South rival, where the Colts have struggled to win for many years, did maybe less than what Indianapolis did, and saw key players like linebacker Devin Lloyd and running back Travis Etienne sign elsewhere. The latter of those team players leaving is key.
Abdullah won't be the starter for the Jags, assuming he sticks on the roster after NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the running back signed with Jacksonville this week, but he could certainly get more reps than he saw with the Colts. In Indy, Jonathan Taylor was, of course, going to get far more reps than anyone, and Abdullah was more of a kick returner.
Former Indianapolis Colts running back Ameer Abdullah signs with the Jacksonville Jaguars
That means that potentially in his final season, Abdullah could be extra-motivated to make a high-end impact. Jacksonville's running back room isn't overly deep or proven, and the veteran might be able to get lots of carries early in the season as part of a rotation of backs.
Abdullah is also a solid kick returner still, and he could hurt the Colts in that area when the teams meet. In 2025, the running back returned 19 kicks for an average of 29.6 yards per return with a long of 81 yards. He's capable of splash plays even at the advanced age of an NFL player of 33 (he will turn that age in June).
As a running back, Abdullah got just 14 carries in 13 games, but did average 4.3 yards per rush and scored a touchdown. He also caught 16 of his 17 pass targets. He's probably going to be more valuable to the Jaguars than the Indianapolis Colts because he still has good speed.
Ameer Abdullah also understands the importance of fitting in both on the field and off it. He's never been a long-term featured back, but he's been with enough teams (the Jags will be his sixth) to know ones that have a winning culture and ones that don't, and how he can help the team build the former.
The Colts weren't going to bring Abdullah back for 2026, but seeing him go to an AFC South rival is no fun either. Let's just hope he doesn't save his best games for the two times he faces Indy.
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