[2022] pocket mod with pack mule do anything?

You can look at it either way. Having Pack Mule frees up mod slots for other things on your clothing, OR having pocket mods frees up skill points to be used on things other than Pack Mule. If you’ve already bought Pack Mule, you can recycle the skill points with Grandpa’s Fergettin’ Ekixir.

A common experience is also to ‘outgrow’ the need for unencumbered backpack spots once you have a vehicle that can hold a lot on its own.