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The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered a tremendous loss that'll be detrimental to their entire team this upcoming season. Rookie Travis Etienne Jr. suffered a season-ending injury after three downs during their Monday night loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The cause is said to be a Lisfranc injury which has an average timeline of being out 12 weeks minimum.
It's always unfortunate when players face season-ending injuries, and it can be devastating for the team's ambitions as well. On that note, here are three ways Travis Etienne's injury will affect Jacksonville.
#1 - Reduced success in the run game
In 2020, rookie James Robinson, an undrafted free agent, did an exceptional job as the starter. He compiled a season eclipsing 1,000 yards for the Jaguars.
However, Jacksonville's rushing offense ranked 29th in the league. The offense, as a whole, averaged 94.9 yards per game. They only ranked higher than the Lions, Texans and Steelers in terms of running the ball.
Travis Etienne's explosive style of play could have formed a two-man game with Robinson. The two aforementioned backs would have established an electrifying run game, resulting in a high-powered offense to ease pressure off of Trevor Lawrence.
#2 - A less dynamic offense
The Jacksonville Jaguars offense features Trevor Lawrence at the helm, James Robinson, D.J Chark Jr. and Laviska Shenault. Although Travis Etienne might not have started for the Jags, his insertion into the lineup would've added another dimension to the rather average Jacksonville offense.
Head coach Urban Meyer often stated that the offense would have Etienne lineup up as a receiver or used in sets as a frequent pass-catcher, as he accumulated 102 catches for 1155 yards and eight touchdowns throughout his years at Clemson.
The Jags would have used Etienne similar to how the Pittsburgh Steelers used LeVeon Bell and how the New Orleans Saints currently set Alvin Kamara up for success. With Travis Etienne sidelined for the 2021 season, Urban Meyer and the staff lost their "Swiss Army Knife" to change the intricacies of the offense outside rookie Trevor Lawrence.
#3 - Stunted development for Travis Etienne
It's very unfortunate that after such a successful collegiate career we'll have to wait another season to see the tailback lace up his cleats in the NFL. An injury suffered in pre-season makes all matters worse for Travis Etienne.
Now, instead of maximizing his game after a season with professional experience, he'll have to spend his time rehabbing to get back to form with zero reps as an NFL running back. Jacksonville will surely miss his unique blend of talent this season, but the injury will have ramifications moving forward, as well.
