Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby will compete to win the starting running back position with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Which running back has the edge in this training camp battle?
Travis Etienne Jr. Vs. Tank Bigsby: Tale Of The Tape
The battle is on.
With #Jaguars training camp on the way next month, a closer look at position battles to watch, from @Demetrius82 via @jaxdotcom: https://t.co/c2bgRaLLy8
— Clayton Freeman (@CFreemanJAX) June 26, 2025
When the Jaguars selected Etienne in the first round of the 2021 draft, they thought he would fit seamlessly beside his college quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.
Things have not gone according to plan so far. Some of that isn’t Etienne’s fault. The Jaguars have their fourth NFL head coach in five seasons.
Etienne also missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury.
In his second season as a pro, Etienne showed promise as a lead back, rushing for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns. Etienne also flashed his potential as a receiver, hauling in 35 receptions for 316 yards.
Etienne built on that success and had his best season in 2023 — 1,008 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 58 receptions, 476 yards, and a touchdown.
Before the 2024 season, the Jaguars picked up Etienne’s fifth-year option. Unfortunately for the Jaguars’ offense, Etienne had the worst season of his young professional career, with 558 yards and two touchdowns.
When Etienne missed time with an injury, the Jaguars turned to Bigsby, the second-year back out of Auburn. Bigsby was much more effective in the running game with 766 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jaguars RB Training Camp Battle
Every 2024 Travis Etienne run prior to his Week 6 hamstring injury pic.twitter.com/F6oxDE05ap
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) June 24, 2025
Following Etienne’s down year and Bigsby’s rise, there are questions as to who should start in Jacksonville’s backfield.
While Etienne and Bigsby are the frontrunners, the Jaguars selected running back Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round of April’s draft. The Virginia Tech product is coming off a season where he rushed for 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Demetrius Harvey of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union believes Tuten will compete for playing time with Etienne and Bigsby.
New head coach Liam Coen used a two-back approach as the Tampa Bay Bucs’ offensive coordinator. Coen utilized both Rachaad White and Bucky Irving.
Expect Coen to employ the same approach in Jacksonville with Etienne and Bigsby.
Bigsby or Tuten might become the starter by the end of the year. However, Etienne will likely get the call in Week 1 due to his versatility and experience. Plus, the Jaguars picked up his fifth-year option, so they will likely want to find out if Etienne can do enough to earn a second contract.
Predicted Winner: Travis Etienne Jr.
