For the second installment of the state of the roster overview, we turn our attention to the Jacksonville Jaguars' running backs.
After examining the least controversial position group on the team, the quarterbacks, we now take a dive into the stable of running backs this Jags team possesses behind those aforementioned signal callers. Two returners will be the featured pairing, with two rookies right behind them looking to enhance the offense and special teams in a number of ways.
Much akin to the quarterback grouping, this position group isn’t likely to change, especially after the departure of Keilan Robinson after just one season. Even with the emergence of Tank Bigsby in Year 2, though, assumedly the Jags will start the season with Travis Etienne Jr. as the team’s feature back.
Travis Etienne Jr.
Contract: 4th year of a 4-year, $12,898,105 contract. Post June 1 designations: Dead Cap of $6,143,000 if released. Owed $0 is traded. 25th highest paid running back.
Age: 26 (27 in January).
Games Played: 49 games over 4 seasons (Missed entire rookie year).
Stats: 2,691 career rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs. 1,046 receiving yards, 1 TD.
Notes:
After a down year last season, Etienne enters 2025-26 in an awkward spot. He isn’t owed any money after this season, and it will be up to Etienne to alter that. Etienne’s in-between status could potentially mean more carries for Bigsby, who emerged as a solid back in his second year after a disastrous rookie season. But with no draft day trades of Etienne, it looks like the Jags will let him ride out his fifth year in a bit of a prove-it scenario.
Head coach Liam Coen has said that Etienne has “done a great job” so far in practice and has had Etienne running with the first team. It’s hard to tell how much of last season was due to bad injury luck with the former first-round pick, bad scheme, and an overall bad team.
Maybe Etienne still has plenty of juice left in the tank, returning to the form he had when he rushed for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Or maybe Etienne has hit his newer generation running back ceiling, where RBs just aren’t needed to last as long as they used to. Etienne will have to play well this upcoming year to continue as a Jag, or even as an RB1 for another team. He clearly has the talent. Now is the time to make it count.
Tank Bigsby
Contract: 3rd year of 4 4-year, $5,392,915 rookie contract.
Age: 23 (24 in August).
Games Played: 33 over 2 seasons.
Stats: 766 rushing yards in Year 2, 7 rushing touchdowns. 10 career kick returns.
Notes:
The guy at the heels of Etienne is the former third-round pick, Bigsby. His rookie year was bad, but his sophomore year showed why many think he can be a higher-upside back in this league. Bigsby had two 100-yard games last year and scored twice in both. Coincidentally, the Jags won both of those games.
Tank Bigsby's final stats:
26 carries
118 yards
2 TD
Second career 100-yard rushing game, second in last three games.
Bigsby showing out this season in teal! pic.twitter.com/fu4ptx44Xu
— Clint Richardson (@Clintau24) October 20, 2024
He is not the receiving threat that Etienne is, but his bruising run style might afford him more and more touches as next season goes on. Bigsby was one of the best running backs last year after contact and in gaining yards over expected. Those are the types of stats that keep you in the league for a long, long time.
If Bigsby can add a receiving element to his game, he will have the makings to be a bona fide stud in Jacksonville. With the two backs drafted this year, he no longer needs to have any special teams duties of any sort. The ceiling is high on Bigsby and Etienne is likely feeling that more than anyone out there. Maybe that is good for all parties involved.
Bhayshul Tuten
Contract: 1st year of a 4-year, $5,276,520 rookie contract.
Age: 23 (24 in February)
Games Played: 46 career college games with NC A&T, Virginia Tech.
Stats: 2023 Sporting News & College Football Network All-American kick returner, Phil Steele Fourth Team All-American kick returner, 2023 All-ACC Second Team all-purpose back, 2023 All-ACC Third Team running back. 2024 All-ACC Second Team running back. 3,600 career rushing yards.
Notes:
Tuten was taken in the fourth round this past season after he averaged an eye-popping 6.3 yards per carry last season at Virginia Tech. Tuten showed he legitimately might be one of the bounciest backs in the draft. In theory, Tuten can be the Bucky Irving equivalent in Jacksonville, being used in the motion/screen game well before Bigsby and likely to relieve Etienne.
The former Hokie was extremely dangerous in the outside zone, which is exactly where Irving made a lot of his impact with Coen in Tampa Bay. At the combine, Tuten ran a 4.32 40-yard dash so he clearly has the breakaway speed to torch defenders on the corner. He is an exciting prospect who pundits thought could have been drafted far earlier than where he went. He can even return kicks if necessary, most likely alongside…
Here's a look at which incoming rookies were best as man or zone runners in college
Red names = better in man scheme
Blue names = better in zone scheme
I also highlighted five who were notably better as outside zone runners.
Kaleb Johnson, Jaydon Blue, and Jordan James were… https://t.co/25oRrSzpKb pic.twitter.com/nwSsfu6cya
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) May 1, 2025
LeQuint Allen
Contract: 1st year of a 4-year, $4,318,756 rookie contract.
Age: 20 (21 in August)
Games Played: 39 across 3 seasons at Syracuse
Stats: Two-time All-ACC running back, 32 total scores is 5th in Syracuse history. 2,359 career rushing yards with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Notes:
The second running back taken of the James Gladstone regime was Allen out of Syracuse. He gives a lot of the same value as Tuten does on both offense and on special teams. Allen gives the Jags almost an embarrassment of riches in the running back room, as he can catch, run and return whenever needed.
Allen led all college running backs last year in catches with 64, again providing a much-needed receiving back option over someone like Bigsby. Last year, Coen was among the top in the league for targeting running backs in the passing game. It’s hard to imagine that this offense won’t feature all four of these guys at various different points in the game. More running backs equal more rest for each guy. And it also creates a strain on defenses. For just a seventh-round pick, the Jags got a guy who can really change a football game.
LeQuint Allen LOVES to block.
He took 144 snaps in pass pro (the most of any 2025 Draft RB) and allowed just 1 pressure and 0 sacks. He won’t blow you away with big hits but he’s hyperaware, proactive, and aggressive.
The best pass protecting RB in the draft, easily. pic.twitter.com/Ut7qomxo2b
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 3, 2025
What are your thoughts on the RB position entering 2025? Let us know in the comments below!