The Jacksonville Jaguars gave the starting nod at running back to Travis Etienne in the season opener, and he went on to have a banner performance. And if there were any doubts that the former Clemson Tiger was the top option in their backfield moving forward, it should be clear after making a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Adam Schefter of ESPN just reported that the Jags sent running back Tank Bigsby to Philly in return for fifth and sixth-round picks in 2026.
The trade took place just one day after Etienne toted the rock 16 times for 143 yards against the Carolina Panthers.
The Jaguars had no room for Tank Bigsby after Travis Etienne's amazing game
The trade was a bit of a surprise because Tank Bigsby proved to be a reliable option when he filled in for Etienne last year, registering 168 carries for a team-high 766 yards with seven touchdowns. Moreover, the former Auburn Tiger got the lion's share of the carries in training camp. Then again, and precisely because the Jags had seen enough of him, they felt comfortable sending him packing to the Eagles.
It's also worth noting that a report surfaced after the draft that the team's brass wasn't totally sold on Etienne and Bigsby. This, in turn, led to the decision to use a pair of draft picks on Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen.
Based on how things unfolded, it looks like Etienne managed to make a strong impression while Bigsby didn't.
The Tank Bigsby trade gives Bhayshul Tuten a chance to shine
With Tank Bigsby no longer in the mix, Bhayshul Tuten is now No. 2 behind Travis Etienne. The rookie running back had a few nice runs against the Panthers and will see an uptick in playing time moving forward.
It's also worth noting that 2025 seventh-round selection LeQuint Allen is still around, so even without Bigsby, the Jaguars are stacked at running back.
Jaguars GM James Gladstone is proving nobody is untouchable
Nobody should be shocked that James Gladstone traded Tank Bigsby. After all, he first-year general manager hasn't been afraid to move on from players that don't fit their vision and bring in those that fit the intangibly rich mantra.
Before trading Tank Bigsby, Gladstone sent center Luke Fortner to the New Orleans Saints in return for defensive tackle Khalen Saunders. And after cutdown day, the Jaguars general manager acquired wide receiver Tim Patrick from the Denver Broncos.
The bottom line is that it's just been one game into the regular season, and the Jaguars will continue to look for ways to improve the roster.
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