Report: Steelers to Sign former Jaguars LB Myles Jack

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an agreement to sign former Jacksonville Jaguars inside linebacker Myles Jack to a two-year, $16 million contract, according to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Jack, 26, was released by the Jaguars on Tuesday in a salary-cap related moved that cleared up $8.35 million in cap space. 

“Myles has made a positive contribution on and off the field in Jacksonville, providing leadership in our locker room as a captain and making a significant impact on the First Coast community,” Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Jaguars’ second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of UCLA, Jack was an immediate starter for the Jaguars, playing right outside linebacker, middle linebacker and left outside linebacker over his time with the team. 

At 6-foot-1 and 244 pounds, he projects to play inside linebacker with the Steelers, likely slotting in alongside Devin Bush and replacing fellow former Jaguars inside linebacker Joe Schobert.

In six seasons with Jacksonville, Jack played in 88 games and started 82 of them. He recorded 513 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions and 15 passes defended.

His best statistical season was in 2020, when he hd a career-high 118 tackles and six tackles for loss while playing in just 14 games.

In coverage, he was targeted 60 times in 2021, allowing 47 receptions for 475 yards and two touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF gave Jack the lowest marks of his career in 2021, with a 37.7 overall grade, 40.5 as a run defender, 67.3 as a tackler, 54 as a pass rusher and 43.3 in coverage. His previous-season grades were more regularly in the 60s. 

A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, Mack attended high school in Bellevue, Washington and was a running back before becoming a linebacker. He also was a state champion in track, running the 200 meters, 400 meters and 4 x 100 and 4 x 400-meter relays. 

In 2013, he was the Pac-12 offensive and defensive freshman of the year playing running back and linebacker, as well as freshman All-American honors and was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award.

He was chosen as an All-Pac 12 selection at linebacker in 2014, while still playing some linebacker, but lost the 2015 season due to a torn meniscus in his knee. He entered the draft after playing just two seasons at UCLA.