Why Jaguars' RB Group Could Be 2026's True X-Factor

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have long been a franchise equipped with top rushing attacks. In many ways, it is a part of the franchise's DNA.

Whether the Jaguars can once again have one of the NFL's top rushing attacks largely depends on the performances of an unproven room the Jaguars are putting plenty of trust in. So, what is the state of the Jaguars' running back room entering the 2026 OTAs? We break it down below.

The Locks

Chris Rodriguez Jr.: The only free agent the Jaguars signed before the NFL Draft (and still one of only two free agents signed), Chris Rodriguez Jr. was not given a massive deal, but it is clear he is set to play an important role. He is a better fit for Liam Coen's rushing attack than Travis Etienne was, and at a much lower price.

Bhayshul Tuten: One of the Jaguars' most productive rookies a year ago, Bhayshul Tuten was a part-time role player behind Etienne for most of the season. He should see both his playing time and his volume of touches in the offense go up in the wake of Etienne's departure, even with the addition of Rodriguez.

LeQuint Allen Jr.: It feels like there is a good chance that LeQuint Allen becomes a bigger part of the Jaguars' offense this year. He played an important role as a third-down pass-protector a year ago, but he should see more touches out of the backfield this season -- especially as a wide receiver.

On the Bubble

J'Mari Taylor: One of the most interesting undrafted free agents the Jaguars signed this year, J'Mari Taylor was productive in all facets of the position in college and also has experience on special teams. He will be an exciting name to watch over the next few weeks and months.

DeeJay Dallas: Added to the roster late last season, DeeJay Dallas made the most of his few reps on offense and he proved to be a solid special teams piece. He should compete for the No. 4 running back job with Taylor and Ameer Abdullah.

Ameer Abdullah: The most-recent addition to the Jaguars' roster, Ameer Abdullah has special teams experience and has proven to be capable as a pass-catcher. He gives the Jaguars another veteran option to consider outside of Dallas.

The Biggest Question

tute — Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) warms up during pregame warmups against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

How will the snaps and roles be divided?

Travis Etienne largely dominated the Jaguars' backfield last season, and the Jaguars now have a lot of snaps and touches to replace wth him off to New Orleans. Instead of paying one running back to lead the room, the Jaguars look like they are content with letting three different players lead the running back room.

For that to work, of course, the Jaguars will need defined roles for each of their running backs. It isn't hard to figure out what those roles might look like just considering the skill-sets the Jaguars have in the room; Rodriguez will likely get plenty of early-down and goal-line work, while Bhayshul Tuten will be deployed in both running and passing scenarios, and LeQuint Allen is the third-down/obvious passing down back.

While the roles are easy to seemingly figure out, the real question are the snaps and the touches. Will the Jaguars evenly distribute the carries between Rodriguez and Tuten? Will the Jaguars go with the hot hand, if one ever presents itself? That is the biggest question facing the Jaguars' running back room today.

Bold Prediction

Chris Rodriguez Jr. Leads Jaguars in Rushing Yards

There are a lot of different dirrections the Jaguars could go with their backfield this year. It appears as if each running back has a unique skill-set that others in the room do not posess. giving each of them a reason to be used as a primary back at one point or another. With that in mind, I predict that Rodriguez will finish his first season with the Jaguars as the franchise's leader in rushing yards.

I believe Allen will get plenty of work on passing downs, and he should be used more as a pass-catcher out of the backfield than he was as a rookie. That is one area Rodriguez will not provide much value in, and it is clear that Allen is the superior pass-blocker to Tuten.

That means early downs will be down to Rodriguez and Tuten, and I believe Rodriguez will see more snaps on the field where he is the focus than Tuten. If Rodriguez is on the field, chances the Jaguars aren't passing the ball. If Tuten is on the field, Trevor Lawrence might be dropping back. That makes me believe Rodriguez will get a bit more chance

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