One week into the 2025 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded running back Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles for 2026 fifth and sixth-round picks. This move moved last year’s team rushing leader to a contender that targeted both backfield depth and special‑teams impact under the NFL’s revamped kickoff rules.
Why Did Jaguars Trade Tank Bigsby?
Jacksonville’s Week 1 usage pointed to a reset. New coach Liam Coen featured Travis Etienne (16 carries, 143 yards) while Bigsby was used sparingly alongside rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen. That approach aligned with a space‑driven offense headlined by Etienne and a developmental rotation behind him, reducing Bigsby’s centrality despite a strong 2024.
Bigsby’s production wasn’t the issue. He led the Jaguars in rushing in the 2024 season with career highs in carries (168), yards (766), and touchdowns (7). But with Etienne healthy, rookies in the pipeline, and a scheme tilt toward perimeter speed, the Jaguars prioritized fit and asset value, securing two day‑three picks and clarifying a depth chart built around Etienne’s acceleration and the rookies’ snaps.
The timing also matched league trends. The NFL’s dynamic‑kickoff era, introduced in 2024 and adjusted in 2025 by moving touchbacks to the 35, drove higher return rates (75.6% of kickoffs returned in Week 1 vs. 30.2% in Week 1 of 2024). That change elevated the importance of return and coverage specialists, making a north‑south, contact‑balanced runner like Bigsby more attractive to a contender seeking hidden‑yardage gains.
Tank Bigsby’s Role In the Eagles’ Setup
Philadelphia’s calculus was twofold: Stabilize the running back rotation and get ahead of the kickoff‑return spike. The Eagles ranked 23rd in kickoff return average last season and opened 2025 by testing multiple returners. In Week 1, Will Shipley muffed his first attempt and left with a rib injury; A.J. Dillon rotated. Across two returns and two touchbacks, the Eagles’ average starting field position on kickoffs settled at 29.3, suboptimal in a year designed to keep the ball in play. They needed an upgrade.
Even with limited career return volume (11 returns entering 2025), Bigsby offered immediate efficiency with six returns last season at 32.5 yards per return versus a 27.6‑yard league average. Combined with his downhill style, that profile fit an Eagles team intent on flipping field position and capitalizing on increased return opportunities. Special‑teams availability also mattered after Ben VanSumeren’s season‑ending patella injury trimmed coverage depth.
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Offensively, Bigsby slots behind Saquon Barkley with Dillon and Shipley when healthy. Barkley, fresh off a 2,000‑yard season and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, remains the workhorse of a run‑centric attack that ranked No. 1 in rushing in 2024. Dillon’s power complements Barkley’s burst; Bigsby adds contact balance and four‑minute, short‑yardage tempo behind an elite line. Shipley returns to the rotation once cleared, but the early trade signaled a plan to distribute carries more efficiently and dial back Barkley after 480 total touches across the 2024 regular season and postseason.
Strategically, Philadelphia is betting that Bigsby can improve two margins that decide games late: drives starting beyond the 30-yard line after returns and second-half possessions that demand a physical closer.
In a season where kickoff returns are materially “back,” the move was a response to a structural change to turn a special‑teams liability into a field‑position asset while adding a proven yards‑after‑contact runner to the backfield.
From Jacksonville’s perspective, the trade matched philosophy and timing: Etienne’s lead role was affirmed, rookie snaps were preserved, and 2026 draft capital was banked. For Philadelphia, Bigsby fills a specific need in a league that suddenly makes the kickoff return a weekly lever again.