Jacksonville Jaguars 2023 Outlook: RB Travis Etienne

2023 will mark the first time that Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne will be the unquestionable starter to begin the season. The former Clemson Tiger missed all of the 2021 season with a Lisfranc injury. Last year, he had to split time with James Robinson early on but still managed to rush for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns.

A realistic goal for Etienne for the 2023 season should be 1,400 - 1,500 yards rushing for him, and it seems as though this will be achievable if he is able to stay healthy the entire season.

This past season, he also added 316 yards receiving for the Jaguars and hopefully, he can bump that up to 400-500 yards to go with those rushing yards as well.

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne must work in one key area in 2023

The big thing Etienne will need to do this offseason and the upcoming season is work on his ball security. He fumbled five times this past season, losing three of them. This may not be a huge amount, but as any Jaguars fan will tell you, it seemed like each one of those lost fumbles came at the worst possible time in games they absolutely needed not to turn the ball over. Similarly, he needs to improve in pass protection, and if he does, it will be hard to take him off the field next season.

Overall, as a team, the Jaguars had a very strong finish to the 2022 season and will need all of its returning players to perform as well as the second half of the season or better in order to truly be considered competitors in the AFC.

For Etienne, that means staying healthy, having better ball security, and the natural bump in production that should come with a full season as the team's unquestioned starter at running back. If he can hit the above-mentioned goals or higher, which seems very realistic it will be a big boon to the Jaguars' chances at returning to and getting further in the playoffs in 2023.