JACKSONVILLE – Travis Etienne Jr. likes a lot about a lot right now.
The Jaguars' running back is entering his fourth NFL season – and as his fourth NFL training camp continues, his excitement and enthusiasm is as evident as it is warranted.
"I’m expecting to have an unbelievable year," he said.
Etienne, a thousand-yard rusher in each of his two active NFL seasons, spoke to the media Wednesday following Day 7 Jaguars 2024 Training Camp practice at the Miller Electric Center. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor spoke before the two-hour, 45-minute practice and praised Etienne's approach entering his third season in Head Coach Doug Pederson's offensive system.
"He has been very productive in the two years he has played for us," Taylor said.
Taylor discussed Etienne as a versatile running back capable of multi-tiered production in an offense that's focused on improving a running game that struggled at times in big situations last season.
"I would never put a ceiling on what he's capable of," Taylor said. "He has a skill set as a receiving running back. I think there's going to be growth in his understanding of the run game and what we're trying to accomplish.
"We can put him in a lot of good situations to be able to maximize his value to our offense."
Etienne, the No. 25 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury before rushing for 1,125 yards and five touchdowns on 220 carries in 2022 after moving into the starting lineup in Week 6. He rushed for 1,008 yards and 11 touchdowns on 267 carries last season.
After finishing 30th in the NFL in yards per carry average and struggling in short-yardage – and third- and fourth-down situations – the running game has been a focus in the offseason and early in training camp.
"I feel like just a whole revamp, just the way that they've kind of been installing," Etienne said. "The way he (Taylor) is kind of emphasizing more of the run game, making it our identity, really putting a lot more focus on coming off the ball and just being disciplined, and being a physical football team."
Etienne and Taylor on Wednesday, too, spoke of the potential impact this season of second-year running back Tank Bigsby – both in the Jaguars' offense and for Etienne. Taylor praised Bigsby's increased "understanding of the offense, the way things flow, what the expectations are when he comes in the game."
"We trust Tank and we talked about this at the end of last year that Tank is just going to continue to get better," Taylor said. "It's going to come down to producing on the field to really, really develop that trust across the unit, but we like where Tank is heading."
While Bigsby – a third-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft – played relatively sparingly as a rookie with 132 yards and two touchdowns on 50 carries, Etienne said he and Bigsby could be a productive tandem moving forward.
"Anytime you can have two guys out there just being who they are as players, that's really great for the team," he said. "I feel like, why can't that be us? I feel like it's only going to help the team be so much better. When I come out of the game, Tank still brings a threat. I feel like it's going to continue to just help prepare us further. Whenever we're so much further down the line, Week 17, I don't really have all that beat up on my body. Tank's really been helping me. I feel like it'll just help us be fresher for a long time. It really extends the longevity of my career."
NOTABLE MOMENTS FROM JAGUARS TRAINING CAMP - DAY 7
Taylor on Wednesday lauded veteran wide receiver Gabe Davis, who signed with the Jaguars in March as an unrestricted free agent from the Buffalo Bills. Davis has participated full most of '24 camp after being limited during much of the offseason program with a knee injury sustained late ast season. "I think you can see him do a lot of different things," Taylor said of Davis, who caught 163 passes for 2,730 yards and 27 touchdowns in his first four seasons. "He has been involved in the run game in terms of blocking first level, second level. You've seen him over the middle a couple of times in the last couple of days. That's where you like to see that big body presence rolling through the middle of the field there whether it was a third down or just a backside reset concept." Added Taylor, "He's going to have a role as an outside receiver in contested catch situations, down-the-field situations as those things start to permit themselves."
