The Jacksonville Jaguars have caught a lot of heat for letting running back Travis Etienne walk in free agency despite the fact that he had a banner season in 2025. Leaving aside that they weren't going to pay him the the $54 million he got from the New Orleans Saints, they believe that Bhayshul Tuten is more than capable of replacing him. That said, the Jags won't let Tuten carry the full workload, which is why they signed Chris Rodriguez in free agency.
Rodriguez racked up 500 yards with six touchdowns on 112 carries last year. While those numbers don't pop off the stat sheet, Jacksonville expects him to help them fix the stink that plagued the running game last year.
The issue is that Rodriguez has yet to join the team on the football field, as he's recovering from a foot surgery he underwent earlier this year. The good news is that the fourth-year running back is expected to be ready for training camp. It will be then that Jacksonville's offseason investment in him will start to pay off.
The Jaguars know the hidden value of Chris Rodriguez
With Travis Etienne out of the picture, Bhayshul Tuten will tentatively be RB1. His dearth of experience has been brought up as a reason why he may not be fit. The fact that he averaged 3.7 yards as a rookie doesn't help matters. That said, the former Virginia Tech Hokie showed big-play capability as a rookie, toting the rock four times for 51 yards in the playoff loss to the rookies.
Moreover, Tuten won't get the ball in short-yardage situations nearly as often as he did as a rookie with Etienne no longer in the mix. But as important as he'll be to the Jacksonville running game, Chris Rodriguez will also play a pivotal role.
Rodriguez's 2025 statline doesn't necessarily stand out. However, a closer look shows that he's way undervalued. His average of 4.0 yards after contact ranked second among 48 running backs last year. Similarly, the Riverdale, Georgia native ranked eighth with a rushing success rate of 45.5 percent. The Jaguars surely hope that kind of production will carry over into next season.
A sixth-round pick by the Washington Commanders in 2023, Rodriguez has appeared in 35 games with seven starts, racking up a combined 920 yards with 10 touchdowns on 198 carries.
The Jaguars are counting on Chris Rodriguez to make a huge impact
It's never ideal to see players miss time after joining a new club. In Chris Rodriguez's case, his absence from the offseason program could be a reason for concern, as he hasn't been able to get acclimated to the offensive scheme. However, he's got something going in his favor.
Rodriguez played for Liam Coen at Kentucky, back when the Jaguars head coach was the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats in 2021. Leaving aside that he had his most productive collegiate season under Coen, Rodriguez's familiarity with him will allow him to get up to speed fast once training camp begins.
Ideally, Chris Rodriguez would have attended the offseason program, but the Jaguars didn't appear to be overly concerned. That should be a sign that they're confident he'll play a pivotal role in improving the running game next season.
