Jaguars' Travis Etienne Falls Out of Key List

The Jacksonville Jaguars' running back position has been a hot topic this offseason.

With veteran running backs Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby returning to the roster under new head coach Liam Coen's offense, along with the additions of rookie running backs Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, the position has been one of the most talked-about groups on the roster.

The changing unit was previously led by Etienne as the unit's unquestioned workhorse, but the 2024 season and the hiring of Coen and general manager James Gladstone changed the complexion of the unit.

Due to injuries that hampered his game in 2024, Etienne saw his numbers take a step backward last year -- he was far from alone, however, with the entire offense taking a plunge in the final season of the Doug Pederson and Press Taylor era.

As a result, Etienne is one of three running backs who has fallen out of ESPN's annual top-10 rankings at the position. He is joined by New York Jets running back Breece Hall and Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb.

"Etienne failed to deliver a third consecutive 1,000-yard season for the struggling Jags in 2024, rushing for 558 yards and two touchdowns on a career-low 3.7 yards per carry. How first-year coach Liam Coen integrates Etienne into the offense will be among the storylines worth watching in 2025 training camp," ESPN said.

Etienne was No. 10 on the list this time last year after being an honorable mention the year before.

"After missing his entire rookie year because of injury, Etienne became a top-10 back with back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, 16 total touchdowns and nearly 100 receptions. One stat from last season perfectly describes Etienne's explosion -- he hit a max of 19.62 miles per hour when crossing the line of scrimmage," ESPN's list said in 2024. "'One of the few three-down backs. Really good zone runner. Makes people miss in space," an NFL coordinator said. "Decent catching the ball and in pass protection. No major flaws -- just not great in short-yardage situations.'"

Etienne will need a strong year to climb back into the top-10, which he will also have to navigate with the reality of being in his contract year.