Excited for fit in new offense

Etienne said Thursday at mandatory minicamp that new head coach Liam Coen's offense "has been getting me in a lot of space" and "always puts us in position to make plays," Garry Smits of The Florida Times-Union reports.

Etienne expressed optimism the Jaguars' decision to draft guard Wyatt Milum in the third round of April's draft and sign five offensive linemen in free agency will lead to improvement up front, saying that across his Jacksonville career "we've been ranked 31, 32 in run blocking," but Coen and new general manager James Gladstone have demonstrated that they're "committed to the process and they know what it takes." Coen also dismissed trade rumors surrounding Etienne, saying that the 2021 first-round pick will be a key piece on offense and possesses all the elements necessary to succeed in the run game. Lastly, Etienne said Coen's scheme will have him running up the middle or off-tackle less -- situations he struggled in during the 2024 season -- and that "just not be[ing] predictable is going to help us a lot." Etienne's burst and vision indeed make him a good fit for Coen's scheme, but he faces plenty of competition from Tank Bigsby, plus fourth- and seventh-round rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen.