When the Tennessee Titans drafted Marks with their second-round pick in 2009, the team didn’t get much. After just three seasons, Marks would leave the Titans and sign with their AFC South rival, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Once in Jacksonville, Marks blossomed and became one of the best players on the Jaguars defense. NFL players named him to the top 100 players list in 2015 and he was widely considered one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Prior to the start of the 2017 NFL free agency period, Sen’Derrick Marks was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
There appear to be no hard feelings, as Marks admits that he will now be a Jaguars fan for life. But that doesn’t mean Marks doesn’t need to find a new NFL home. Here are three teams that could use the skill of a player like Marks in 2017.
Buffalo Bills:
The Bills had an up and down season in 2017. The offense was a pleasant surprise, as star running back LeSean McCoy and quarterback Tyrod Taylor helped the Bills lead the NFL in rushing yards. Their passing game was less impressive, but the overall offense was better than most had expected. This was in stark contrast to the defense, which was supposed to excel in the scheme of head coach Rex Ryan was instead a weak point. Sen’Derrick Marks would add pass rushing firepower to a Bills defense that didn’t generate much pressure on the quarterback last year.
Kyle Williams is getting older, and the Bills could use a talented veteran like Sen’Derrick Marks to help anchor the defense and generate a greater pass rush.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers struggled to contain opposing rushing attacks last season, ranking near the bottom of the league in yards allowed per game. In a division with the Falcons, Saints, and Panthers, that type of run defense won't work.
Devonta Freeman will carve up that team, Jonathan Stewart will run through any daylight he sees, and Mark Ingram is talented enough to put up a big game against the Saints as well. Sen’Derrick Marks would add another dimension to Tampa Bay’s defense and help anchor a defensive line that couldn’t stop anybody in 2016. That could prove critical in the NFC South, one of the more competitive divisions in the entire NFL.
Marks would also help contribute to a pass rush that is already led by one of the best defensive players in the league in Gerald McCoy.
The fact that Sen'Derrick Marks is still not signed by a NFL team is shocking. He's a disruptive force and should at least be a free agent consideration for any team still looking for a defensive tackle.
