The Jacksonville Jaguars’ running back room enters the 2021 season as a bit of an enigma. Outside of the selection of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the, shall we say, controversial signing of quarterback-turned-tight end Tim Tebow, one of the most common talking points around the team this offseason has been the way it will use its stable of running backs.
It seemed like a godsend for Jacksonville when James Robinson broke out in 2020. After waiving former fourth overall pick Leonard Fournette, who was promising at times but disappointing for the most part, before the season, it was unclear who would see the lion’s share of the carries for the Jags.
Robinson removed all doubt early on in the season, winning the starting job Week 1 and never looking back. The undrafted rookie finished fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,070 yards, and it seemed Jacksonville had finally found the answer at running back (though a bit unintentionally).
But the Jags’ decision to take a running back in Travis Etienne with the 25th pick in the 2021 NFL draft raises questions about what Robinson’s role will be moving forward. With Etienne sure to absorb some of Robinson’s touches, what level of production is fair to expect from the latter this season?
Well, to start his production in 2020 is a bit misleading. Robinson led the league in carry percentage, and though his per attempt average of 4.5 was far from bad, it ranked just 22nd in the league among running backs. Robinson shouldered an unsustainable load last year, and seeing a decrease from his 240 attempts would be good for his longevity.
With that being said, does that mean that reaching 1,000 yards again isn’t an achievable goal? Not necessarily. Though Etienne will siphon some carries away from him (as will Carlos Hyde), neither is a real threat to replace him as Jacksonville’s primary ball-carrier. Etienne will most likely see the majority of his snaps on passing downs (and the majority of his production in receiving out of the backfield), while Hyde is a depth guy who may not play a major role in the rotation.
The Jaguars should also have some success in the passing game now, as the anemic quarterback play from a year ago should be a thing of the past, though Lawrence will certainly have rookie moments of his own. If the air attack is a legitimate threat, it could open things up more for Robinson in the run game.
Additionally, if Lawrence’s development takes a bit of time, new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell could rely heavily on the run game early in the season to help the rookie get acclimated.
Though there are factors working against Robinson matching his production from a year ago, there are also a lot of reasons to believe that he has the pieces around him to be more effective in 2021 than he was last year. Do you think Robinson will repeat his 1,000-yard performance this season? Vote in the poll down below to let us know.
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