At one point, Sen’Derrick Marks was the Jacksonville Jaguars best defensive player. A late free agent pickup in 2013, the first year of the Gus Bradley era in northern Florida. The former Tennessee Titans defensive tackle was one of the best signees in the team’s free agent history.
Now, five seasons later, Marks is looking for a new team.
While the organization was celebrating the signing of top defensive free agents Calais Campbell, AJ Bouye and Barry Church, Sen’Derrick Marks was given his walking papers. With the changes made this offseason, coupled with Marks’ candor at times, the move did not come as a surprise to some.
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Per Mark Inabinett of AL.com, In the 2014 season, Marks had a career-high 8.5 sacks and was a top alternate for the Pro Bowl, making him almost a sure thing to go the NFL’s annual all-star contest as an injury replacement — except in the final game of the 2014 regular season, Marks tore an anterior cruciate ligament.
From then, injuries plagued his career and he wasn’t able to produce on the field as in year’s past. Also, his outspoken nature, questioning the coaching for their decision to change his responsibilities on the defensive line, coupled with him also commenting on other players being paid more than himself, Marks may not have ingratiated himself to management.
Marks had knee surgery and was in the midst of nine months of rehab when NFL players voted him No. 76 on the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players of 2015” — the first time a Jacksonville defensive player had appeared on the top-100 list.
Marks returned to NFL action in the sixth game of 2015. But the former Vigor High School star’s season lasted only four games because he suffered a torn triceps tendon.
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Last season, the Jaguars signed Malik Jackson in free agency. This pushed Marks to the second team, which did not sit well with him either.
During the 2016 season, Marks played 540 defensive snaps – 50.2 percent of the Jaguars’ defensive plays. He had 22 tackles, including 3.5 sacks, recovered a fumble and knocked down a pass.
Marks was taken in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Auburn.