His life was turned upside down in August. The Lisfranc injury to the young running back caused him to lose his ability to run. What will his absence mean for the rest of the team? What does his absence mean to the rest of the team Let’s take a look at the future and what we expect.
Travis Etienne’s Injury
Travis Etienne suffered an injury to his foot during the course of the game against the 23-21 loss to the New Orleans Saints. It was possible that it would only keep him out for a portion of the season. It turned out Etienne had suffered a Lisfranc Injury and his season was over. To get his first snaps in the NFL’s regular season, Etienne will need to wait until 2022 as a rookie running back.
What does Travis Etienne’s injury mean for the Jaguars short-term?
Without Etienne, the Jaguars’ depth chart saw some shuffling. James Robinson is expected to start with Carlos Hyde and Dare Ogunbowale acting as the second and third-string players. Robinson ran for over 1000 yards last year and scored seven touchdowns. Robinson also caught 49 passes, gaining 344 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
The Jaguars are Carlos Hyde’s sixth team since 2017. Hyde is only the second Jaguars player. Hyde ran for approximately 1000 yards in three of his eight seasons.
The Jaguars need to be confident that they can keep a strong backfield without Etienne. Robinson may make a significant improvement in his second season, and Hyde might also be a good fit in a one-two punch configuration. Although the Jaguars will be able to make it without Etienne this year, Etienne’s future could be seriously impacted.
Etienne’s long-term effects
James Robinson could have made a significant step towards being a reliable Jaguars starting rusher by the end of the season. Carlos Hyde could also prove that he can be a reliable backup. Etienne will likely have to compete with Hyde for the top backup position if he arrives in this backfield in 2022.
Etienne, a first-round selection, may find his future in Jacksonville uncertain as the team may already be looking for a running back. Etienne might feel forced to wait for a trade to get to a team where he will be a starter. He will likely be a first round running back, living under the shadow of two other running backs.
