By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

For the past few seasons in Jacksonville, Travis Etienne was more than just the starting running back. He was one of the players who made the Jaguars offense go. Now he is gone.

Etienne reportedly signed a four year, 52 million dollar deal with the New Orleans Saints, and while the move was not exactly shocking, it still leaves a big question mark in Jacksonville’s backfield.

The Jaguars may have had financial reasons for letting him walk, but there is no denying that losing a player like Etienne changes the look of this offense.

Players with his skill set are not easy to replace. Since being drafted in the first round, Etienne developed into one of the more exciting offensive weapons the Jaguars had.

His speed and ability to make defenders miss made him dangerous every time he touched the football. He could break a long run, catch passes out of the backfield, and create big plays that could flip momentum in a game.

Last season under head coach Liam Coen, Etienne rushed for more than 1,100 and continued to be a major part of the passing game as well. That kind of versatility gave Jacksonville something every offense wants. Balance.

When the running game is working, it takes pressure off the quarterback and keeps defenses from teeing off. For Trevor Lawrence, having Etienne in the backfield made life a lot easier. Without him, things get a little more complicated.

The Jaguars will point out that they saw this coming. General manager James Gladstone drafted two running backs in 2025, Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, and both showed some promise during their rookie seasons. Tuten especially has the speed and pass catching ability that fits nicely in Coen’s system.

But there is still a big difference between flashing potential and carrying the load for an entire season.

Right now Jacksonville’s running back room is extremely young. Tuten, Allen, and Ja’Quinden Jackson are all entering just their second season in the league.

DeeJay Dallas is the only veteran in the group, and even he is not guaranteed to make the roster.

That means the Jaguars are asking a lot from players who simply have not proven themselves yet, and that’s a huge gamble.

There is also the bigger picture to consider. The Jaguars likely knew they could not match the contract the Saints were willing to give Etienne.

In today’s NFL, teams rarely want to invest big money at running back when they believe they can find production through younger and cheaper players.

From a salary cap standpoint, letting Etienne walk probably makes sense. It gives the Jaguars flexibility to focus on other areas of the roster, including defense, where they still have important decisions to make.

But football is not just about cap space. Etienne was one of the few players on the Jaguars roster who could take a routine play and turn it into something special. When an offense needed a spark, he was often the guy who provided it.

Now that responsibility is going to fall on someone else. Maybe Bhayshul Tuten steps into that role and becomes the next breakout player in Jacksonville. Maybe the Jaguars add another running back in the draft or in free agency to help fill the gap.

But until someone proves they can do what Travis Etienne did for this offense, there is going to be a noticeable hole in the Jaguars backfield. And that makes this offseason decision feel a little risky.

The Jaguars might be betting on the future. The question now is whether that bet pays off.