Where Does PFF Rank the Jaguars' Running Back Room?

With Travis Etienne leading the Jacksonville Jaguars' room, where does the unit land according to PFF?

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs to the sideline after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of a regular season NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars blanked the Carolina Panthers 26-0. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA

After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons from Travis Etienne, the Jacksonville Jaguars' running back room is starting to gain some attention.

In a recent ranking of all 32 running back rooms from Pro Football Focus, the Jaguars' running back room is ranked No. 12 and second in the AFC South behind the No. 7-ranked Indianapolis Colts.

"Travis Etienne’s yards per carry average dipped in 2023, but he forced the most missed tackles (64) of any back in the NFL in the regular season and ranked fourth in PFF wins above average (0.17), showcasing valuable talent as a rusher and receiver.

It’s a bit less consistent after him, with D’Ernest Johnson and Tank Bigsby spelling the Clemson product, but Etienne’s talent carries this unit to the top 12."

- Trevor Sikkema, Pro Football Focus

Due to issues along the offensive line and injuries, the Jaguars' running game was among the least effective in the NFL a year ago, with the Jaguars finishing No. 31 in yards per attempt, No. 24 in rushing yards per game, No. 30 in rushing EPA/play, and No. 31 in rushing success rate.

"Just the terminology, the structure, the progression of the way we teach it. That's something we haven't been as good as we want to be. Moving forward we paired it down to what's really important to us? What have we been good at? How do we rebuild this thing from scratch? That's where our main focus was," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said earlier this month about the running game.

"I think guys are seeing that, I think the way we've taught it so far through the offseason has really stuck with guys. There's probably a clear understanding of things fitting in certain families where the rules and the techniques are carrying over from play to play. You honestly have no idea if you can run the ball until the game starts. Preseason only give us you so much. Offseason doesn't give you a whole lot. It gives you targeting and landmarks and footmarks and technique, but there's not physicality. We talked about that last time. Even into training camp. There's only so much you can do. You'll get a handful of days that are full speed, but there's really not a time. You have to get a hope that your training has taken you to the point that now when the bolts are flying, we know how to respond."

Etienne finished 2023 with 1,008 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns, while also catching 58 passes for 476 yards and a touchdown.

Etienne posted at least two rushing touchdowns in three straight games from Week 5 to Week 7. He became the first player in franchise history to record multiple rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games in a season.

Etienne recorded 1,484 scrimmage yards in 2023, joining Maurice Jones-Drew as the only Jaguars to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards in their first two active NFL seasons. Etienne is the third player in Jaguars history to record 1,300 scrimmage yards in consecutive seasons.

Bigsby, the No. 88 pick in last year's draft, didn't have a featured role as a rookie. After opening the season as the No. 2 running back, Bigsby ran into unlucky turnover issues early on and eventually fell into the No. 3 role behind D'Ernest Johnson.

Bigsby's rookie season ended with just 132 yards rushing (2.6 yards per rush) and two touchdowns, including just 15 carries in the last seven games of the season.

With Bigsby on the sidelines as a rookie, Etienne finished third in the NFL with 325 touches -- 70 more than the year previously.

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