The Jacksonville Jaguars managed to re-sign a pair of defensive pieces before the start of free agency. On the other hand, they watched running back Travis Etienne sign with the New Orleans Saints.
The truth is that Jacksonville was going to have trouble competing with the Saints. Leaving aside that they gave him a four-year deal worth $52 million, his ties to The Big Easy — he was born in Jennings, Louisiana — gave New Orleans an edge in negotiations the Jags simply didn't have.
The silver lining of watching Etienne leave is that, as productive as he was the past four years, the Jaguars have a more-than-capable replacement in second-year running back Bhayshu Tuten, who's ready to become the undisputed No. 1 in their backfield.
Bhayshul Tuten can help the Jauars soften the blow of Travis Etienne's departure
A first-round pick in the 2021 draft, Travis Etienne sat out his rookie campaign with a Lisfranc injury. But once he was back, he wasted no time becoming an integral piece of the Jacksonville offense, racking up more than 1,000 rushing yards three of the past four seasons.
Moreover, Etienne was a viable pass catcher out of the backfield, hauling in a combined 168 receptions for 1,388 yards with seven touchdowns dating back to 2022. Simply put, the Jags are going to miss his all-around skills. Then again, when the new regime took over last year, it wasn't fully sold in him, which is why the Jags drafted Tuten to begin with.
That Etienne managed to fend off Tuten and have a banner season were welcomed developments. Having said that, the Jags might've been comfortable letting the veteran running back precisely because Tuten is in the mix.
What should the Jaguars expect from Bhayshul Tuten after Travis Etienne left?
Heading into the draft, one red flag surrounding Bhayshul Tuten was his inability to hold onto the football, losing nine fumbles in two collegiate seasons. The fact that he fumbled on his first carry during the team's offseason program didn't do anything to alleviate concerns. But once the regular season came, the former Virginia Tech Hokie proved that he was as good as advertised.
While Tuten only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, he did tally seven total touchdowns. Moreover, he gave the Jacksonville offense a spark in the loss to the Buffalo Bills, racking up 51 yards in just four carries. Looking back, it's a bit surprising that the coaching staff didn't keep feeding him the ball. But since Travis Etienne is gone, he should get ample opportunities.
Sure, the Jags may bring in competition. After all, the coaching staff may not want to give the impression that Tuten was handed the starting job. But even if the team's brass adds reinforcements at running back, the Paulsboro, New Jersey native is talented enough to become the undisputed No. 1 in the backfield.
In the end, the math simply didn't work for the Jaguars. Nobody will deny that the Saints got a playmaker in Travis Etienne, but Jacksonville may end up not missing him much because of Bhayshul Tuten.