The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a massive blow on offense when they lost Bhayshul Tuten to a finger injury. Sure, Travis Etienne is the No. 1 running back, but Tuten has become an integral piece in their backfield. The good news is that he'll only miss a few weeks and should be back for a playoff run.
Moreover, the Jags have an underrated No. 3 running back in LeQuint Allen. Heading into the Week 16 matchup against the Denver Broncos, Trevor Lawrence talked about what makes the rookie out of Syracuse special.
The Jaguars will lean on LeQuint Allen to replace Bhayshul Tuten
With Bhayshul Tuten out the rest of the season, LeQuint Allen is expected to see an uptick in playing time. Ahead of the Broncos game, Trevor Lawrence told the local media that he has no doubt the first-year running back will rise to the challenge, noting that he's made the most of his opportunities.
"Obviously, he's been in there for third down, but just as a runner as well, every time he's got an opportunity with the ball, he's done something with it," Lawrence said. "And obviously hasn't gotten a ton just because it's hard to get through all three guys the same amount of carries. And Travis obviously is having a great year. Bayshul has been doing some really good things for us, and the Quint's been such a big factor in third down and special teams and all that stuff."
Lawrence continued, "But I know he's gonna be ready for the opportunity. I mean, you look at every time he gets the ball, how hard he runs, and some of the four-minute runs last week and the week before. I mean, he's doing a great job, so I know he's gonna be prepared, and he's gonna take this opportunity to run with it and play well. I have no doubt about that."
It's worth noting that even though Allen has mostly seen the field on passing downs, he's logged more offensive snaps than Tuten. That said, most of his playing time has come as a blocker. Moreover, the Jags could also give a few carries to the recently added DeeJay Dallas, so his role may not change drastically.
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The Jaguars found a draft gem in LeQuint Allen
All things considered, the Jaguars are getting plenty of value from LeQuint Allen. After all, it's not often that a seventh-round selection carves a significant role right off the bat. But that's precisely what the Millville, New Jersey native has accomplished as a rookie.
Aside from his blocking prowess, Allen has shone in limited playing time, toting the rock 18 times for 81 yards and hauling in 10 receptions for 54. Not bad numbers for a No. 3 running back.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars will miss Bhayshul Tuten's explosiveness out of the backfield the next three weeks, but having LeQuint Allen around will soften the blow.