Jaguars' Rookie Travis Etienne Suffers a Sprained Foot vs. Saints
The Jacksonville Jaguars could be without first-round running back Travis Etienne for the foreseeable future after the rookie left Monday night's preseason game against the New Orleans Saints with a foot injury.
Etienne left the game in the second quarter of the Week 2 preseason game. Head coach Urban Meyer called Etienne's injury a "sprained foot" after the 23-21 loss.
"We don’t know the seriousness of it yet," Meyer said.
Etienne played three snaps against the Saints, rushing once for one yard and catching a pass for three yards. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Etienne was seen in a walking boot after the game, but the "X-Rays were negative."
Jacksonville had struggled to get Etienne the ball before his injury, with the rookie recording three touches and 16 snaps through two preseason games. The former Clemson running back was selected in April with the No. 25 overall selection, joining James Robinson and Carlos Hyde in Jacksonville's backfield.
"He’s shown me great talent," Meyer said following the game. "We were planning on using him, and I look up and he is limping off of the field. He was out in the open space.....I see what everyone else sees, a talented guy who we’ve got to get in space.”
The Jaguars will now lean on Robinson and Hyde in the backfield as the team awaits the news on Etienne's foot. Etienne had played less than each of the veteran running backs in both preseason games prior to his injury in Monday's game.
The Jaguars' coaching staff frequently spoke publicly about the desire to involve Etienne into the offense as a pass-catcher due to his speed, with Meyer saying after the draft that he wanted to use Etienne in a "slasher role." Through two preseason games, Etienne has been used primarily as a standard running back.
"He’s done a great job. I’ve been impressed with him," Jaguars offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said last week. "He’s gotten better and better. You’ve seen him in the backfield and the things that he can do. I think his speed’s shown up a couple times, so I really like where he’s at.”
