Jaguars drafting Tank Bigsby looks much better after encouraging play vs. Buccaneers

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Tank Bigsby in 2023 thinking he could form a dynamic tandem alongside Travis Etienne. Things didn't play out that way, though, at least not in his rookie season. The former Auburn Tiger struggled to make the transition to the NFL and was a non-factor for much of last year. Fortunately, he's beginning to turn the corner and his promising play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is proof of it.

Bigsby had a productive training camp and had an encouraging performance in the preseason opener, toting the rock three times for 29 yards. With Travis Etienne sitting out the game against the Buccaneers, the sophomore running back made the most out of his opportunities, getting 10 carries for 37 yards.

At first sight, that kind of production doesn't pop off the stat sheet. However, it looks much better when you take into account that Bigsby ran hard and tried to get as many extra yards as possible. Add the fact that he had three catches for 19 yards and his production looks much better.

As a rookie, Bigsby made several puzzling mistakes, a few of them even led to turnovers. His average of 3.8 yards per carry didn't help matters. By the second half of the season, he had been phased out in favor of fellow running back D'Ernest Johnson. But despite his struggles, the Jaguars' brass didn't lose confidence in him. As a matter of fact, head coach Doug Pederson said that he expected the Georgia native to have a bigger role on offense in Year 2.

For his part, offensive coordinator Press Taylor thinks that maybe they mishandled Bigsby's rookie campaign, noting that they should've given more playing time. But as underwhelming as he was last year, the running back looks like a different player in 2024.

Bigsby didn't stand out in offseason activities but had several big runs in training camp. Based on how he's played in the offseason, it's fair to say that he's gained his confidence back.

Getting Tank Bigsby involved will help the Jaguars offense in 2024

Travis Etienne is the unquestioned starter, but the Jaguars' brass has stated several times that they want to decrease his workload. Last year, he had 75 percent of the team's carries. if Bigsby does take a leap as expected, that number can then be significantly lower in 2024.

By getting Bigsby involved, Etienne can stay fresh throughout games. Similarly, he can help wear down opposing defenses and take some pressure off Trevor Lawrence's shoulders. Last year, the Jaguars' running game was non-existent, so teams didn't have to stack up the box to defend it. Things could be different with an improved Bigsby and Etienne making a dynamic running-back tandem.

It's also worth noting that the Jaguars tried to bolster the offensive line in the offseason. If the moves they made pay off, Bigsby and Etienne will have no trouble breaking off long runs in 2024.

The bottom line is that Tank Bigsby didn't do much in his rookie season but he's one step closer to validating the Jacksonville Jaguars decision to draft him in the third round last year.

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