Jaguars RB Travis Etienne: 'Foot is doing much better' after missing rookie season

It's hardly a stretch to say that the Jacksonville Jaguars endured a lousy 2021 NFL season. Jacksonville won only three games, parted ways with head coach Urban Meyer before his first campaign in charge ended for multiple reasons, and received zero meaningful contributions from rookie running back and first-round pick Travis Etienne because of a Lisfranc injury to his left foot that ultimately required him to undergo successful surgery in September.

Per James Johnson of Jags Wire/USA Today, Etienne recently appeared on "The Players Podcast" and suggested he's well on his way toward being good to go for training camp sessions. 

"My foot is doing much better," Etienne explained. "Really just got back into the gym for the first time and I’m squatting for the first time this past week. So that’s been good and I’ve been running for a while now. I’m kind of getting to that 80% to 85% range. Definitely, just heading in the right direction, and as you know with this injury you have to take it day-by-day man. You can’t skip no days."

The Jaguars lost first-choice ball-carrier James Robinson to a torn Achilles tendon on Dec. 26, and RotoWire Staff noted last month there's no guarantee he'll be ready for Week 1 this coming September. Thus, the Jaguars will be banking on Etienne potentially serving as RB1 when they next convene.