The Jaguars Have Established Their Stance with Running Back Room

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One of the few positions that has seen great change so far for the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason has been the running back room.

The Jaguars' running back room already had a lot of intrigue surrounding it, but that interest has increased even more after an eventful first week of free agency that saw Travis Etienne depart and Chris Rodriguez Jr. get added.

Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (36) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

With free agency now a week old, it has become more and more clear exactly how the Jaguars and head coach Liam Coen plan to deploy the position in the post-Etienne era. But what have the Jaguars really established about their running back room?

Jaguars Establish RB Hierachy

For those who have inquired about the Jaguars' running back room since the Rodriguez signing, and who might be leading the unit moving forward, it is fairly clear how the Jaguars are approaching things: with a committee.

Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference next to head coach Liam Coen at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On the most recent episode of the team-produced 'Jaguars Happy Hour', host J,P. Shadrick said the running back room is shaping up to be by committee, and general manager James Gladstone notably did not correct him.

"Yeah, I think that's fair to say," Gladstone said.

Jan 4, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli and general manager James Gladstone look on after the game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

"Really excited for the guys that were behind [Etienne] this past season and being able to get increased opps. And you know two rookie runners who really had significant contributions in different ways, and can carry those contributions forward and build off of those. And now you insert Chris, who obviously has prior experience with Liam, which is going to be helpful to the onboarding process, a lot of the same language, you know, an understood skill set."

While Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen will certainly get their fair share of snaps next season, the money attached to Rodriguez makes it clear that he will play a role. The Jaguars will once again play three running backs, but this time the load might be more evenly distruvted now that they have complementary skill sets in the room.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) returns a kick off in the first quarter during an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"And the cool thing with Chris is it's been a constant. What was his superpower in college has been his superpower in the NFL, and we don't anticipate that shifting," Gladstone said.

"What he'll be able to do is provide the complementary skill set, in particular when it comes to the inside running, the hidden yards that come with his style of play. You know, the tough demeanor. You know, that's a real thing. And when given a higher workload, it can wear out those that have to stop it from going forward. And he does a good job of going forward."