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Maurice Jones-Drew has struggled in 2013 but the Jacksonville Jaguars are still willing to bring back the 28-year-old running back, provided he's not looking for big money.
Jones-Drew's future was the source of a question asked by a reader in ESPN's Jaguars mailbag on Thursday. According to Michael DiRocco, a trade is unlikely, but there is a chance he could return in 2014.
The team is interested in bringing Jones-Drew back as long as it's not for big money.
There has been speculation that the Jaguars could trade the eight-year pro, which DiRocco doesn't think will happen due to the lack of compensation expected in a trade. He believes the most the Jaguars could get for Jones-Drew in a trade is a fourth-round pick, which is little for a starting running back.
It's unclear how much Jones-Drew has left in the tank. He is currently sitting at 3.0 yards per carry, the lowest of his career, and while a lot of the blame can be placed on a poor Jaguars offensive line, part is on his aging legs.
From 2009-11, Jones-Drew totaled almost 1,000 carries, which could have caused him to lose his burst. For comparison, Adrian Peterson amassed 839 carries from 2010-12, including his MVP season last year.
The Jaguars are preparing for the 2014 season, when it's almost assured they'll have a new quarterback. Having a veteran presence in the backfield would be a solid move for a team deciding to play young on offense, but it remains to be seen if he would stay if courted by a contending team looking for the last piece.
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