The Jacksonville Jaguars were hoping for a revival of sorts under new head coach Liam Coen. And that is exactly what they got. Winning the division and entering the playoffs as a top-four seed, they seemed to have found the best version of Trevor Lawrence in the process.
Unfortunately, the offseason hasn’t been very kind to them, particularly with the loss of superstar running back Travis Etienne Jr. With an obvious need at the running back spot, one analyst believes they could target De’Von Achane as a potential replacement.
How the Jaguars Could Replace Travis Etienne Jr. With De’Von Achane
After a mediocre 2024 campaign, Etienne bounced back in a major way under Coen. Almost equaling his career high with 1,107 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, he was a force to be reckoned with in the passing game as well.
Even though his total receiving yards on the season were under 300 yards, he made his living in the end zone as he brought in 6 touchdowns through the air for the season. The New Orleans Saints, trying to build the best possible roster around Tyler Shough, clearly liked what they saw. As a result, they signed him to a four-year, $47.4 million contract early in free agency.
That clearly leaves a major hole for the Jaguars to fill. According to Cameron Sheath of PFSN, that makes them prime contenders to go after Achane.
The Miami Dolphins are tearing down the team completely after parting ways with Jaylen Waddle, Tua Tagovailoa, and Tyreek Hill, and replacing their head coach and general manager.
The next premium player that could fetch them a warchest of draft capital is their running back. An underrated campaign last year saw Achane tally 1,350 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground, while also adding 488 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air.
Ranking at No. 2 on PFSN’s RB Impact, he was one of the only bright spots of the Miami offense. “Achane would be an immediate upgrade on Etienne, while helping to open things up downfield.”
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
After spending a fourth-round draft pick on Bhayshul Tuten last year, the hope has to be that the second-year running back can become a bigger piece of the offense as well. But for the time being, Achane could be an extremely smart addition to a team trying to make it deep in the playoffs.
With a lack of cap space and draft capital this offseason, it will be tough for Jacksonville to make meaningful roster changes.
But an explosive running back could be the best idea to bring out the best in their franchise quarterback as well.
