Jaguars continue to tease a clear hierarchy of a crowded position room under Liam Coen in preseason tie vs. Saints
Did the Jaguars’ second preseason game offer any clues to the pecking order of Jacksonville’s crowded running back room in 2025?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping to bring new head coach Liam Coen’s vision for an offensive attack to life in 2025. Coen, who was hired in Jacksonville after a highly successful 2024 campaign as the offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay, has plenty of tools at his disposal. Between the passing game weapons, an offensive line that saw money poured into it in free agency, and a crowded backfield, Jacksonville should be thinking big.
One of the big questions for Coen’s offense is how the Jaguars are going to ultimately split up the workload in the backfield. Jacksonville added two running backs in this year’s 2025 NFL Draft to pair with the preexisting duo of Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby.
Sunday’s preseason contest against the Saints may have offered the latest major clue as to the pecking order for the Jags in 2025.
Tank Bigsby takes every touch for Jaguars on opening possession
Third-year running back Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne shared the snaps for the Jaguars in their opening possession but it was Bigsby who collected every touch by the backfield on the Jaguars’ first drive. The drive ended with a red zone fumble that saw Trevor Lawrence stumble through an exchange and put the ball on the turf, but there could be a strong omen in how Bigsby rolled with the ones to open the game. It’s worth noting that Bigsby got work as both a runner and as a pass catcher, making several Saints defenders miss on a screen pass that eventually peeled back across the grain of the field for a chunk gain of 19 yards.
Travis Etienne shouldered the touches on the next possession before the rookies assumed much of the load the rest of the day.
The Jaguars beat has been steadily drumming that Bigsby is looking to be the central focal point this summer and the usage and utilization on Sunday is the latest evidence that we’ll see exactly that. Etienne, who is in a contract year, will likely have a role to fill — particularly on obvious passing situations. But with Coen looking to match the robust rushing numbers that his offense enjoyed in Tampa last season with Bucky Irving and company, look for Bigsby to be the centerpiece of it all.
Coen’s offense last year ranked fourth in rushing yards, 10th in rushing attempts and third in yards per attempt. Bigsby should be well positioned for a big year if Sunday’s pecking order is how the regular season unfolds.
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