Which Jaguars Veteran is Under Pressure Entering 2025?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had their fair share of issues over the past few seasons. Many of those issues all played a part in the Jaguars' recent struggles. Last season, the Jaguars struggled to block, allowing Trevor Lawrence to take more hits than they would have liked.

Lawrence struggled too, before going down with a season-ending injury, which likely could have been avoided with better play from the offensive line. The Jaguars also lost multiple pass catchers to injury and lost veteran running back Travis Etienne to injury for some time as well.

The Jaguars had one of the top running back duos in the league early last season, but that changed once Etienne was injured. He failed to return to form after making it back on the field, although the offense's other issues played a part in why that was the case.

Still, the National Football League is a production-based business.

Nick Shook of NFL.com recently listed several players who are facing critical seasons in their respective careers. After a disappointing season for the entire team, Etienne is one of the players who needs to have a solid upcoming season.

Etienne registered back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, but his workload diminished significantly in 2024. His carries dropped from an average of 243.5 per year over those first two campaigns to 150 last season, when he missed two games due to injury. Backup Tank Bigsby emerged as the more viable option in what was generally a dreadful Jaguars offense last year," Shook said.

"In fact, Bigsby finished with a higher rushing total (766 yards) than Etienne (558 yards). Entering the 2025 draft, many believed the Jaguars would select Boise State star Ashton Jeanty with the fifth overall pick and replace Etienne entirely, but when they instead traded up to take Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter at No. 2, Etienne received a new lease on his Jaguars life.

"That hasn't come without skepticism, of course; on Monday, new head coach Liam Coen quelled trade rumors involving Etienne. But what we should truly take from all of this is one simple fact: Etienne, entering a contract year, has one more chance to prove he should be in Jacksonville's long-term plans, and that opportunity arrives in 2025."

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and tell us how you feel about this pick.

Please let us know your thoughts on this pick today when you like our Facebook page, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.