The Jacksonville Jaguars hope to rebound strong this year. Their 2023 campaign looked like it would be a very prosperous after they got off to a strong 8-3 start. But, they faltered down the stretch and finished the year 9-8 and out of the playoffs. Jacksonville hopes to avoid that fate this year. However, the Jaguars have some training camp battles to take care of first before the 2024 NFL season gets underway. Two notable ones are taking place at running back and kicker.
Who will be the backup running back?
Jacksonville has their number-one running back already. That would be Travis Etienne, who has run for at least 1,008 yards in each of his two healthy seasons in the league. He's not only electric on the ground but also a dynamic receiver out of the backfield. Etienne has 93 receptions for 792 yards and a touchdown in that span.
However, his efficiency took a dip in 2023. Etienne went from averaging 5.1 yards per carry to 3.8. His 3.6 true yards per carry and 4.6 yards per touch last year were both worse than his 2022 numbers too according to playerprofiler.com.
A reason why could be attributed to the increase in volume he saw last season. Etienne touched the ball just 255 times in 2022 while splitting Jacksonville's backfield duties with James Robinson. But in 2023, after Robinson left the team and the Jaguars had no capable backup, Etienne saw 325 touches.
That is a big jump. Etienne was able to handle that workload, but that extra volume weighed on him from a number's standpoint at least. Jacksonville has talked about keeping him fresh over the course of a season. the best way to do that is finding a capable backup.
The Jaguars tried to do this by drafting Tank Bigsby in the third round of last year's draft, but he was a non-factor as a rookie. Bigsby handled just 50 carries but averaged only 2.6 yards per carry in those totes. Jacksonville also has D'Ernest Johnson, who had his moments with the Cleveland Browns, but he also finished 2023 with a 2.6 yards per carry average.
Jacksonville needs them, or sixth-round rookie Keilan Robinson, to step up. If one does in this training camp battle, they could help the Jaguars navigate the 2024 NFL season.
Who will be the starting kicker?
Another interesting training camp battle the Jaguars will have to keep tabs on before the 2024 NFL season is at kicker. That position has been a bit of a revolving door for Jacksonville over the years. Players like Aldrick Rosas, Josh Lambo, and Brandon McManus have come through there in recent seasons, but none have been able to stick.
Now they have a familiar face who also previously wasn't able to stick. That would be Riley Patterson. Patterson was Jacksonville's kicker in 2022 and had a pretty successful season there. He made 30 of 35 attempts that year and missed only one extra point. But, he got traded to the Detroit Lions to make way for the signing of McManus.
McManus' season with Jacksonville was tumultuous both and on and off the field, which left another void in the Jaguars' kicker room. Patterson was an addition they made there. Another was drafting former Arkansas Razorback Cam Little in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Little made 53 of his 64 kicks in Fayetteville and was not shy in big moments.
Little's draft capital may give him an edge for the Jaguars in this training camp battle before the 2024 NFL season. But, he has to perform first. How he and Patterson do will be of utmost importance for Jacksonville.
Follow Us
Subscribe
