Travis Etienne
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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
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TAs are officially here. On May 27, 20 NFL teams began their Organized Team Activities, including the Jacksonville Jaguars. But as the team reported for the start of phase three, one notable star was missing from all the action. Running back Travis Etienne did not show up the first day of OTAs, with his absence raising many questions about his future with the franchise.
Bringing in a new regime in head coach Liam Coen and general manager, James Gladstone, it was expected that changes would be made involving the roster. But Coen and Gladstone wasted no time in adding to the running back room, drafting Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen to pair with Etienne and 2023 third-round pick, Tank Bigsby.
What Does This Mean for Etienne?
During his tenure with the Jaguars, Etienne has shown flashes of greatness, putting together back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in 2022 and 2023. But with the emergence of Bigsby, who took a large portion of the snaps last season, and bringing in Tuten and Allen, Etienne has a much harder road towards a big role this season. ESPN insider, Jeremy Fowler, said earlier this month that the new regime has its doubts about Etienne and could look to use one of the newer editions more frequently instead.
“Watch for fourth-round running back Bhayshul Tuten to make an impact,” Fowler said. “I’ve talked to multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby has a fumbling issue.”
A free agent after the season, Etienne could use this as an audition for other teams so that next season, he earns a sizable contract with a team that offers a much better chance for him to start.
Coen Provides Reason for Etienne’s Absence
Given that OTAs are voluntary, missing them is not the end of the world, especially for big name stars. But when it comes to Etienne, who has to earn a role and has been a key part of the team for the last few seasons, his absence is seen as a surprise. But Coen spoke the media after practice on May 27th and provided a reason for his absence, seemingly brushing it off as nothing major.
“He just had a flight situation,” Coen said. “So no issues.”
Even without Etienne, the Jaguars are confident in what they have in the running back room, with Coen sharing his thoughts on May 19 about how well that group has been able to come together.
“I think all together, that room, that running back room, has done a nice job in terms of the competition, the acceleration, and the teaching for some of those young guys, and also the veterans doing a nice job of trying to help those guys out as well,” Coen said.
2025 will be a pivotal season for the Jaguars. Last making the playoffs in 2022, the hope is that quarterback Trevor Lawrence can thrive under Coen while a revamped offensive line brings the expectation that the run game will experience a resurgence.