Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars went 13-4 in 2025, they've routinely gotten poor grades throughout the offseason because they weren't as aggressive as other teams. Specifically, the Jags have caught a lot of heat for letting running back Travis Etienne walk in free agency and not doing much to replace him, at least in the eyes of some analysts. But they do have a plan, even if it looks unappealing from the outside.
Bhayshul Tuten flashed potential last season, and Jacksonville believes the sophomore running back is up to the task of stepping into Etienne's shoes. However, there's skepticism about him because of his lack of experience.
The good news is that some analysts are starting to see why the Jags are so high on him and are beginning to buy into the hype.
The Jaguars have a special running back in Bhayshul Tuten
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports made an appearance on 1010 XL and said that he's high on Bhayshul Tuten, noting that he could be special.
"I'm bullish on Tuten. I think Tuten has star potential. I really do, "Prisco said (2:00 mark). "I thought it coming out of school. I thought I loved him at Virginia Tech. He was one of my favorite guys, and I don't think he got used quite enough last year. And I know the fumbling early on was a concern. They were concerned about his fumbling, but I think he's got a chance to be really special in the backfield. So I think all of that is kind of what's going to be the focal point of camp early on."
BHAYSHUL TUTEN DID NOT GIVE UP ON THE PLAY 😤
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2025
He powers his way in for the TD
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/sQ5iIMUSLh
Tuten wasn't used nearly enough as a rookie because Travis Etienne was the main running back. But with him out of the picture, the former Hokie will get the chance to showcase his game-changing speed. You could argue that the New Jersey, Paulsboro native averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, but that stemmed from his high usage as a short-yardage back.
Regarding the fumbles, that was his biggest red flag coming out of college. He had two last year, but head coach Liam Coen doesn't think it was an issue, noting that it was a team-wide issue rather than an individual one.
It's also worth noting that Etienne wasn't nearly as productive as his statline suggests. He did score a career-best 13 touchdowns, and he nearly racked up 1,400 yards from scrimmage. However, the former Clemson Tiger struggled in short-yardage situations, and his explosive play rate was below the league average.
The Jaguars are confident Bhayshul Tuten will be an upgrade at running back
Pete Prisco isn't the only analyst who's bullish on Bhayshul Tuten. Mike Phillips of Fansided also sees the sophomore running back as an intriguing breakout candidate, and understandably so.
While Tuten's yard-per-carry average left much to be desired, he had the third-best rushing success rate among 55 running backs. Similarly, he ranked 10th with a 21.8 percent rate of tackles avoided per carry. Now, he'll get to do it on a full-time basis.
When you add it all up, it's easy to understand why the Jaguars chose not to re-sign Etienne and are confident that the running game won't miss a beat with Bhayshul Tuten leading the way.
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