Jaguars RB Travis Etienne could return in Week 9 to be the starter once healthy

Travis Etienne He’s been out of the Jaguars lineup for the past two weeks, but Sunday could mark his return. Whenever the fourth-year player takes the field next, he should reclaim the starting spot.

Etienne’s hamstring injury opened the door for Bigsby tank take on an increased workload during Jacksonville’s London win over New England. The 2023 third-rounder rushed for 118 yards and a pair of touchdowns during that contest and had 86 yards from scrimmage last week. Despite this success, head coach Doug Pederson ready to keep Etienne at the top of the depth chart.

“I believe that injury does not replace your position,” Pederson said(via Michael DiRocco of ESPN). “I think we need fair competition. We’re fortunate to have two really good running backs right now. When Etienne comes back, he’s just as explosive, just as good, just as strong, and that’s still his job.”

Pederson has previously spoken of wanting to reduce Etienne’s workload after he totaled 580 touches in the 2022 and ’23 seasons. Bigsby playing a prominent role when both defenders are in play will help achieve that goal. Indeed, the eighth-year coach said Bigsby’s contrasting skill set should allow him to remain a regular on offense moving forward. With extension Christian Kirk out for the rest of the seasonIt wouldn’t be surprising if Jacksonville took a more aggressive approach to its offense.

Etienne, who has had limited training each day this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s competition, got his fifth year option selected This is the off-season. As a result, the Clemson product is scheduled to have a $6.14 million salary next year; this reduces the chances of a deal being completed ahead of this year’s deadline. 2-6 Jaguars figured it out longtime left tackle Cam Robinson earlier this week, however, so further steps from a sellers’ perspective may be on the way.

Assuming Etienne stays in place for the rest of the year, his play as an RB1 will be worth keeping a close eye on. The 25-year-old missed his entire rookie campaign but performed well in 2022, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. That figure dropped to 3.8 last year and team and player will welcome a return to efficiency to complete the current campaign. Etienne should have plenty of opportunity to return to his previous form upon his return.