4 most compelling position battles ahead of Jaguars training camp

The Jacksonville Jaguars won't see much turnover on either side of the ball next season. Although right tackle Jawaan Taylor and defensive end Arden Key left in free agency, the Jags managed to keep most of last year's starting core intact.

Having said that, the top brass will hold a few position battles in training camp. Only one of them will be for a starting job but they will all be important. Here's a look at all of them.

Jaguars 2023 training camp battle #4: Running back No. 2

Travis Etienne is firmly entrenched at the top of the depth chart but it's unclear who will be his primary backup. Once Etienne became the start last year and James Robinson got traded to the New York Jets, JaMycal Hasty became the No. 2 option in the backfield. However, Hasty will face competition from D'Ernest Johnson, who signed a one-year deal in free agency, and 2023 third-round pick Tank Bigsby.

Even though Johnson mostly played on special teams during his four-year stint with the Cleveland Browns, he shined whenever he got the ball, averaging 5.2 yards on 141 carries in 64 games from 2019-2021.

On the other hand, Bigsby was a featured back at Auburn and could make a legitimate push for significant playing time next season. Sophomore Snoop Conner could be in the mix but would need to stand out in training camp. At the moment, it looks like he'll be competing for a roster spot.

Etienne showed in 2022 that he can carry a big load but to avoid overworking him, the Jaguars will lean on one of their other talented backs. The good news is that they have several options but they'll need to pick one in training camp to be the primary backup.