​The Jacksonville Jaguars parted ways with running back Travis Etienne as he entered free agency and opted for veteran Chris Rodriguez of the Washington Commanders to take his place. That decision drew sharp criticism, with many observers highlighting the Jaguars’ running back room as their primary weakness. Predictably, Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick placed Rodriguez toward the bottom of their PFF running back rankings. In their assessment of all projected starters for each team, they ranked 32 running backs and positioned Rodriguez at No. 31. Their low valuation appears to stem more from limited experience than from a lack of talent.
“Rodriguez may finally get a chance to start after three seasons as a reasonably productive rotational piece in Washington,” they wrote. “He’s not blessed with explosive speed, but he’s forced 49 missed tackles across 198 carries in his career. His strength, alongside Bhayshul Tuten’s speed, should create a productive rotation in Jacksonville’s backfield in 2026.”
The choice of Rodriguez as the Jaguars’ starter is itself unusual. While someone had to be chosen, the running back room remains open, with any of the three backfield options—Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen, and Rodriguez—potentially earning the RB1 role. Still, the prevailing expectation among Jacksonville fans and analysts has been that Tuten would be the lead, with Rodriguez serving as a capable RB2 behind him.
Ultimately, however, the particular starter labels may matter less than the overall approach. Head coach Liam Coen has signaled throughout the offseason that Jacksonville does not intend to lean on a single feature back replacing Etienne, leaving the other two to contribute as needed. The plan for 2026 appears to be a committee-style arrangement, with all three running backs rotated regularly and each utilized in situations designed to leverage their distinct strengths.
If the Jaguars find success in 2026, it likely will stem not from one back elevating his performance far beyond his No. 31 ranking, but from a collective effort in which no single player has to shoulder the load alone. This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire, accompanied by PFF’s caveat on the Jaguars’ RB ranking in the context of broader SEO considerations. The piece runs at least 500 words.