When Jacksonville Jaguars starts a mandatory minicamp, there will be one focus on the back of the back, where questions embrace Travis Etienne.
Rumors are swirling about potential business after Etienne had trouble last season and finished behind Tank Bigsby in rushing meters and Jags composed two newcomers runners, Bhaysshul Tuten in the fourth round and Lequint Allen in seventh place. Coach Liam Cohen shot down the business demand, but it has not been silenced the idea that Etienne could be past the back or finally moved.
For his part, Etienne is hindering noise.
“I feel like we all know this is a company,” Etienne said on the team’s official website. “This is the production department and I feel like if I would not produce, it will have a direct impact on me. I can’t let the outside world, this business, affect my performance in the game because if I don’t, then I’m not going to be in the business.
“I feel like I just have to manage what I can manage, go there and do my job and I will be in a great position.”
After missing his recruitment campaign due to injury, Etienne produced a 1,000 -meter period in 2022 and 2023. Last year, however, he fought to break the tackle behind a medium offensive line and earned 558 rush and two contact.
2021 selected in the first round goes on the final year of its newcomer contract. With new coaches at the helm, the hope is that Jacksonville will find Yngular Etienne.
“I just continue to trust the process,” he said. “We have a great coach here right now, great plans, great strikers who put us in a position to make a play. I feel like I just have to continue to create good habits and whenever the season comes, just lean on these great habits and lean on my coach.
“He is putting me in a great position to go there and make a play and be an incredible teammate for my team.”
We will see this week on mandatory minicamp how big a grip Etienne plays in the initial role.