Exciting Weapon With Liam Coen Connections Just Became Available to Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One of the most fascinating questions facing the Jacksonville Jaguars this month is none other than the running back position.

Former first-round pick Travis Etienne has led the charge as the team's No. 1 running back for the vast majority of the last four seasons, but Etienne may be set to join a new franchise next week as the free agency deadline fast approaches.

If the Jaguars do have to replace Etienne over the coming weeks and months, they certainly have options on and off the roster. This week, one more option got added to the fray in the form of a talented young running back with Liam Coen ties: Tampa Bay running back Sean Tucker.

Tucker Option?

Tucker, who played with second-year Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen at Syracuse, will be a free agent next week after the Buccaneers opted not to give him a restricted free agent tender. This means he is set to hit free agency at the same time as Rachaad White,

sean tucker — Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker (44) on the field in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Tucker, a former undrafted free agent, will surely come cheap in free agency since he was never a lead back in Tampa Bay and the Buccaneers themselves have opted not to sign him to a relatively small tender. With that in mind, Tucker has plenty of traits that make him a fit for the Jaguars, and the sample size of him in Coen's offense in 2024 is hard to ignore.

Serving as the Buccaneers' No. 3 running back in 2024 when Coen was offensive coordinator, Tucker rushed for 308 yards and two touchdowns and caught nine passes for 109 yards and one touchdown, recording 7.1 yards per touch for the Buccaneers in the process -- by far a career high. Tucker became the Buccaneers' short-yardage back last year and scored plenty of touchdowns, but his yards per touch went all the way down to 3.8 yards.

Tucker, who also adds special teams value as a kick returner, has already shown how he fits with Coen. He can make players as a rusher, as a pass-blocker, and as a receiver. And, all things considered, he is just 24 and could be even better with an expanded role in the right situation.

All in all, the former Buccaneers running back seems to check a lot of the boxes the Jaguars may be looking at if Etienne leaves. While it wouldn't be a game-changing move, it would certainly be a logical one, giving the Jaguars three young, cheap, and versatile running backs in him, Allen, and Bhayshul Tuten.

We will know more about the Jaguars' running back plans in the next week. If they feel confident in Tuten as RB1, though, Tucker still makes sense to add to the mix. At the least, it is a move they should consider.

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