James Gladstone's Bold Bet at Jaguars' RB Position Is Already Paying Off

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- If there is one position the Jacksonville Jaguars are taking a bold bet at in 2026, it is running back.

Just a year ago, Travis Etienne had one of the best seasons of his career as he notched 1,399 yards from scrimmage and scored a career-high 13 touchdowns. Etienne was arguably the Jaguars' offensive MVP during their 4-3 start, and there seemed like a real chance he would be a long-term piece.

But the run game faltered as the season went on, even if Etienne still made a noticeable impact as a pass-catcher. The Jaguars then stood pat and let Etienne leave in free agency, with the former first-round pick signing a four-year, $48 million deal with the New Orleans Saints.

Now, Gladstone and the Jaguars are set to lean on a trio of running backs in Chris Rodriguez Jr., Bhayshul Tuten, and LeQuint Allen to replace Etienne's massive impact. But considering the recent state of the running back market, there is enough evidence to suggest the Jaguars' big bet on the position is already paying off.

Gladstone's Bet

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

Yet another running back got paid this week, with the New York Jets signing Breece Hall to a three-year, $43.5 million contract that can be worth up to $45.75 million. Hall is the latest in a line of running backs to get paid, including Etienne, James Cook, and Kenneth Walker III. When looking at the deals each of those running backs got, it is clear what it costs to keep a top-end running back on the open market.

When you compare what keeping a running back like Etienne would have cost the Jaguars, it is clear why Jacksonville didn't re-sign him. Etienne, Hall, Walker, and Cook have all set a clear market for the position. Had the Jaguars got involved in this market, it might have become that much more difficult to project new deals for Parker Washington and Brenton Strange.

Player	Contract Length	Total Value	AAV	Guarantees
James Cook	4	$46M	$11.5M	$28.82M
Kenneth Walker III	3	$43.05M	$14.35M	$28.7M
Travis Etienne	4	$48M	$12M	$28M
Breece Hall	3	$45.75M	$15.25M	$29M

Instead, the Jaguars are turning to three running backs who are all on relatively cheap deals. Tuten and Allen are on the second years of their rookie deals, while Rodriguez was signed this offseason to two-year, $10 million deal with $6,2 million guaranteed. Rodriguez will make more or less over the course of his entire deal that any of these veteran running backs will make in 2026 alone.

With every new running back deal that has hit the market, Gladstone's bet looks even better. Tuten flashed real talent as a rookie, Allen is one of the NFL's best pass-protecting running backs, and Rodriguez was one of the league's most efficient running backs last year. There is reason to believe that the sum of the Jaguars' parts at running back could bring them the same thing teams are now paying big money for.

lequint allen, bahyshul tute — Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen (36) and running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) look on during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Speaking on 'The Rich Eisen Show' this week, Gladstone noted why they have built the running back room the way they have, and why there are already early signs of positive steps.

"I think Liam's always been a strong proponent of a committee approach and being able to leverage multiple runners and varying running styles together. So we're looking forward to how this room has taken shape," Gladstone said.

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

There will be some projection, of course. Tuten and Rodriguez have never been the lead workhorse backs for an NFL offense, and they are being tasked with replacing an incredibly productive player in Etienne. But the Jaguars have enough reason to believe that all three of these players will be able to make a real impact in 2026.

"Obviously, we brought in Chris Rodriguez, who was with Washington most recently, but was with Liam at Kentucky, and has a really good feel for inside runs. Bhayshul Tuten, who we drafted a year ago, really took a good step in his rookie campaign, with Travis leading the way. Look forward to activating Tuten in a more significant manner," Gladstone said.

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

"While at the same time, you round out that room with two guys in LeQuint Allen, who we drafted in the seventh round a year ago and had a real role on third downs as an extremely good pass protector. And then DeeJay Dallas, who joined us towards the back half of the season and offered special teams contributions in a real way, and has a veteran presence to him that you know, everybody appreciates."

The Jaguars are banking on internal development and the power of relationships when it comes to the development of the running back room. But judging the running back market today, it feels like the Jaguars are already making the right choices at the position for the 2026 season and beyond.

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