WATCH: Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Shows Off Post-Injury Footwork in Offseason Video
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne has the potential to be one of the most exciting players on the roster this fall for many reasons.
One of the primary reasons to believe into the hype? The comfort and smoothness Etienne has shown this spring and summer following his Lisfranc injury and surgery last fall.
Etienne's explosiveness and agility in the wake of his serious injury during his rookie season led to questions about whether the former Clemson star and first-round pick would be back to his lightning-fast self, but the below video of Etienne working out with 3 Hunnid Fitness and trainer Josh Hicks in Dallas.
Etienne was one of the nation's most explosive players and a true home run threat during a record-breaking career at Clemson and the hope was he would bring similar big plays to Jacksonville as a rookie.
Etienne led Clemson in rushing as a true freshman, carrying the ball 107 times for 766 yards and 13 touchdowns while earning Third-Team All-Conference honors. He took his game to another level when Clemson won the National Championship in 2018, rushing for 1,658 yards and 24 touchdowns and catching another two touchdowns. His 26 touchdowns set a conference record and earned him ACC Player of the Year, First-Team All-American, and First-Team All-Conference.
Etienne repeated as First-Team All-American and All-Conference and as ACC Player of the Year in 2019 when he rushed for 1,614 yards and 19 touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 432 yards and four touchdowns.
He ended his Clemson career with another year in which he led the ACC in rushing and was named to multiple First-Teams, rushing for 914 yards and 14 touchdowns and catching 48 passes for 588 yards and two touchdowns as a senior.
Unfortunately for Etienne and the Jaguars -- who had plans to use Etienne both as a rusher and a receiver -- Etienne suffered a season-ending foot injury in the second preseason game. After opting for surgery, Etienne's rookie year was lost and the Jaguars were left without one of their most explosive playmakers.
Etienne has looked more and more comfortable throughout the course of this offseason, getting 100% cleared for on-field work before OTAs and leaving a positive impression on his teammates and coaching staff.
“Well, really well. Gosh, it’s just exciting to get him out here and get him on the grass this whole offseason and really work with him," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said toward the end of OTAs.
"He’s doing a great job handling a lot of information we’re throwing at the guys and putting him in different spots. [We’re] just seeing what he can do right now.”
Etienne is one player the Jaguars have eagerly anticipated having back in the fold. The entire offense floundered in 2021, and a big reason was because injuries to Etienne and later DJ Chark and Jamal Agnew sapped the offense of all of its explosiveness.
The former No. 25 overall pick is back, though. And going off his offseason workouts, it doesn't look like he will miss a step.
"Just like I’ve said about some other guys, he just adds another element to our offense," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said about Etienne during OTAs.
"We have so many different types of players that we can switch guys in and out and it gives you a whole new look. I think that’s a big thing in the league is being able to make it harder on the defense, different personnels, all those things, and we just have a lot of weapons right now which is great.”
