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Carlos Hyde Released by Jaguars After Less Than 1 Season with Team
March 8, 2019
The Jacksonville Jaguars released running back Carlos Hyde on Friday after acquiring him in a trade last season, the team announced.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport was the first to report the news.
Last offseason, Hyde signed a three-year, $15.2 million contract with the Cleveland Browns. The move represented a homecoming of sorts for Hyde, who played four years with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Browns traded Hyde to the Jaguars after six games, with 2018 second-round draft pick Nick Chubb proving himself to be a capable No. 1 option on the ground for Cleveland.
During his brief time in Northeast Ohio, Hyde ran for 382 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries. A change of scenery did little for his production. He carried the ball 58 times for 189 yards in eight games with Jacksonville.
ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported March 2 the Jags were looking to move Hyde, along with veteran defensive tackle Malik Jackson.
Some immediately questioned what kind of trade market either player would have. Hyde in particular didn't appear to be a valuable asset.
His best season came in 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers. He ran for 988 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Football Outsiders ranked him sixth in DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) among running backs with at least 100 carries.
He followed up with 938 yards and eight scores with the 49ers in 2017, finishing 33rd in DYAR at the running back position.
While Hyde performed below expectations in 2018, a bounce-back year could be in store in 2019 if he lands with a new team.
Not only did Hyde have to learn the Jaguars' playbook on the fly, Jacksonville's offensive line also cycled through 12 different starters during the regular season. The Jaguars finished 26th in yards per carry (4.1) as a team.
With the Browns, Hyde was in trouble the moment the team selected Chubb. Cleveland was looking toward the future, so Chubb's ascendance to the starting role was inevitable whether Hyde was a member of the team or not.
It didn't behoove Jacksonville to keep Hyde with Leonard Fournette installed as the team's starting running back, but Hyde could emerge as a bargain signing for a running back-needy team this offseason.