Report: Pittsburgh Steelers to sign former Jaguars star linebacker

The Pittsburgh Steelers are making a splash in free agency as the new league year gets started.

Pittsburgh is reportedly moving to sign former Jacksonville Jaguars star linebacker Myles Jack to a two-year, $16 million deal, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jacksonville released Jack earlier this week, and it apparently didn’t take long for him to find a new home.

The Jaguars drafted Jack out of UCLA with the No. 36 overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. This past season, he had 108 total tackles — including 62 solo tackles. But in his career, he has 513 combined tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, three interceptions, 15 passes defended, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.

He now gets the chance to bounce back in Pittsburgh as general manager Kevin Colbert adds pieces before stepping away after the NFL Draft. The Steelers also signed quarterback Mitchell Trubisky as the heir apparent to Ben Roethlisberger.

More on Myles Jack, Jacksonville Jaguars spending spree

In six seasons with the Jaguars, Jack has totaled 513 combined tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, three interceptions, 15 passes defended, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns. This past season, Jack led the team with 108 tackles, and he also posted three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.

In September 2019, the Jaguars signed Jack to a four-year, $57 million contract extension. But now, he will hit the free agent market a little earlier than he anticipated. He will undoubtedly have a line of suitors on the open market, and the Jaguars will now have to find a way to replace him on the defensive side of the ball.

The Jaguars were definitely the NFL’s biggest spender on Monday, as Jacksonville signed five different players to substantial contracts. In all likelihood, the spending spree, which involved signing another linebacker, likely played a role in Jack’s release.

The biggest deal of the day for the Jaguars was with former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk. Jacksonville signed Kirk to a four-year, $72 million deal that could be worth up to more than $80 million. The Jaguars also signed offensive guard Brandon Scherff to a three-year, $49.5 million deal and linebacker Foyesade Oluokun to a three-year, $45 million deal.

Additionally, the Jaguars signed wide receiver Zay Jones to a three-year, $24 million contract and tight end Evan Engram to a one-year, $9 million deal.

On3’s Jonathan Wagner contributed to this report.