Rival Scout Says Jaguars Offense 'Too Reliant' on Travis Etienne Jr.

While much of the attention on the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason has been focused on quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his massive contract extension (and with good reason), the man that really makes the offense go in Duval is the one that lines up next to him in the backfield, running back Travis Etienne Jr..

But heading into the 2024 season, Lawrence will have to live up to his new pay grade, and take some of the pressure off Etienne to ensure the unit's success.

"All Travis Etienne Jr. does is make plays," a rival scout told Athlon Sports for this year's NFL preview magazine , on sale at newsstands now.. "He makes this game look easy. This offense is a bit too reliant on him, though."

Etienne is one of the best dual-threat backs in the game, with big-play ability on the ground and through the air every time he touches the ball. But he's also undersized, and that massive workload could create some durability issues as the season moves along.

Speaking of Lawrence, the scout isn't worried about the departure of veteran wide receiver Calvin Ridley, especially after multiple offseason additions that should make up for his absence.

“Trevor Lawrence has some really good wide receivers to throw to, and he can maintain his productivity even with Calvin Ridley gone," the scout said. "Between Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, Brian Thomas Jr. and Evan Engram, Lawrence should have plenty of guys open that he can be confident they’ll catch the football."

The rival scout said he sees positives and negatives along Jacksonville's offensive line.

"Cam Robinson is not a top-flight left tackle," he remarked. "Mitch Morse is really stout and smart at center.”

On the other side of the ball, the Jags are loaded with difference-makers at every level, but there are still a couple of question marks that need to be sorted out if this defense wants to be one of the best in the league this season.

"Arik Armstead’s addition is a big boost to the defense," the scout said. "Name someone who’s had much success trying to block that guy. I’ll wait. ... Josh Allen earned that big deal. He made Laremy Tunsil look bad last season in one-on-one situations. ... Foyesade Oluokun is quietly one of the better linebackers in the AFC. ... Travon Walker’s play and production doesn’t quite match up with his size and mobility. ... Not sure why Andre Cisco isn’t in more conversations about the top safeties. He’s really, really good. .... If I’m Doug Pederson, I worry about the matchups in this division and whether he’s got the corners to hold up. Ronald Darby and Tyson Campbell don’t inspire a ton of confidence. ... Roy Robertson-Harris works extremely hard in the offseason on his pass-rushing moves, and it shows during the season.”

If Walker can live up to his ceiling, and the corners can play at a high level with more consistency, the talent on offense and solid coaching staff might be enough to make the Jags a true contender this season and beyond.

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