Jaguars' lone free-agent investment continues to fumble a perfect opportunity

The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows across the league because they chose to sit out free agency, mostly focusing on re-signing their own players. That said, they did ink a free agent, Chris Rodriguez, who's expected to form a backfield alongside Bhayshul Tuten.

Contrary to what some analysts may suggest, Rodriguez won't be RB1 but will still have a heavy workload next season. This is why his absence at Organized Team Activities has raised concerns. While the regular season is still a few months away, and Mia O'Brien of Action News for Jax says the fourth-year running back will be back for training camp, it's fair to say that the Jags aren't getting the return they expected in their two-year $10 million, at least not for the moment.

The Jaguars aren't fretting about Chris Rodriguez (for now)

Ideally, you want rookies and veterans who are just joining the team to be in attendance at OTAs, as they need to learn the system on their respective sides of the ball. This is why Chris Rodriguez's absence is notable. Sure, he's watching tape and learning the playbook, but that's no replacement for the live reps he's missing.

The silver lining is that Rodriguez's absence paves the way for fellow running backs LeQuint Allen Jr., DeeJay Dallas, and undrafted free agent J'Mari Taylor. And if he's indeed back for training camp, this will turn out to be a non-story.

Jordan Shipley, of Sports Illustrated, for his part, doesn't think it's time to press the panic button. He's right. At this point, Rodriguez isn't in danger of tumbling down the depth chart. Having said that, the former Kentucky Wildcat is losing momentum, and either Taylor or Dallas could take advantage of the extra reps they're getting during his absence to either boost their stock or carve a role.

One thing working in Rodriguez's favor is that the Jaguars don't appear to be overly concerned, with head coach Liam Coen saying that the injury report will come at some point.

The Jaguars need Chris Rodriguez to be ready for training camp

The Jaguars let Travis Etienne walk in free agency because they're confident that Bhayshul Tuten can fill the void left by his departure. Heck, Liam Coen says that the coaching staff has yet to unlock his full skill set, and there's a reason to think that Tuten will be just fine, as he's got top-notch speed and the explosiveness to break off big runs.

That said, Jacksonville will also need Rodriguez to play a role, so Tuten isn't worn down. And that's the thing: his statline may not stand out (500 yards and five touchdowns on 112 carries in 2025), but he was highly productive, and the team's brass expects him to play a role in fixing the running game.

When the Jaguars signed Chris Rodriguez, they didn't expect him to miss time in the offseason program, but that doesn't mean they're steering clear of their vision to get rid of the biggest stink from last year.

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