Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars lost running back Travis Etienne in free agency, they're set at running back due to the presence of sophomore Bhayshul Tuten, who's expected to take on a bigger role in Year 2. Couple that with the fact that the Jags signed Chris Rodriguez in free agency, and LeQuint Allen is also in the mix, and their backfield isn't in immediate need of upgrades.
Granted, Jacksonville could use additional reinforcements at running back late in the draft, but the pass rush and the interior defensive line are more pressing needs. Similarly, other positions are in greater need of depth, such as safety, corner, or the offensive line. This is why a recent suggestion doesn't make sense.
The Jaguars are being urged to draft a RB early in spite of Bhayshul Tuten
Nick Shook of NFL Media drew up a list of goals each AFC team must nail in the 2026 NFL Draft. For the Jaguars, he suggests they add a running back in Rounds 2 or 3 of the draft, arguing that they cannot solely lean on Bhayshul Tuten.
"Travis Etienne left for New Orleans in the offseason, and the Jaguars filled the depth chart void with Chris Rodriguez, leaving Bhayshul Tuten as a player who is suddenly important at work in 2026," Shook wrote. "Hopefully, Tutan capitalizes on the opportunity, but the Jaguars cannot afford to lean on him that heavily in a season with greater expectations. They should target another back on Day 2."
There's no doubt that Jacksonville will miss Etienne, who's coming off a season in which he totaled 1,399 yards from scrimmage and a career-best 13 total touchdowns. Nevertheless, Liam Coen is confident that Tuten can fill the void at running back, pointing out that he'll get more opportunities after showing notable improvement as a rookie.
On the other hand, Rodriguez flashed potential with the Washington Commanders when he was thrust into action, toting the rock 112 times for 500 yards with six touchdowns. While he'll be the No. 2 behind Tuten, the former Kentucky Wildcat will still get a substantial workload.
Last but not least is LeQuint Allen Jr. While he was mostly relegated to passing downs, he carved a niche as a blocker and a receiving target out of the backfield. He'll once again have a role on offense next season.
The Jaguars don't need to draft a RB, with Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez in the mix.
The Jaguars have 11 draft picks in the 2026 draft, so they could certainly afford to use one on their backfield in the later rounds. However, they should only do it once they've taken care of their bigger needs. Moreover, this year's crop of running backs isn't particularly great at the top, so it wouldn't make sense to pick one early.
It's also important to point out that Jacksonville found Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. in rounds 4 and 7, respectively, last year. Thus, it wouldn't be shocking to see Jacksonville look for a potential draft gem on Day 3. Robert Henry, Demond Clairbone, and Le'Veon Moss, among others, would make sense from Round 4 and onward. On the other hand, nobody would bat an eye if the Jags skip the position altogether.
The truth is that the Jaguars' backfield is in good shape, so going running back early in the draft while passing up the chance to address other positions would definitely raise eyebrows.
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