Jaguars see refocused Tank Bigsby entering Year 2: 'He understands his role in this offense'

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Tank Bigsby in the third round last year to take some of the weight off Travis Etienne‘s shoulders. That didn’t happen, with Bigsby toting the rock just 50 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

Jerry Mack, the running backs coach, views Bigsby as a player who could make significant improvements going into his second year.

“He [had] an opportunity to kind of sit back last year, see exactly what this league is all about,” Mack said this offseason, via The Florida Times-Union. “And he’s been great so far this offseason, just the way he’s attacked every single day.”

Bigsby was practically excluded from the rotation by the end of the season. In half of Jacksonville’s last six games, he did not get a chance to carry. It was only during the overwhelming victory against Carolina in Week 17 that he managed to make 20% of his seasonal carries, totaling 10.

Mack is of the opinion that a full offseason has helped Bigsby develop into a more self-assured player.

Mack believes that confidence is key when you’re starting out. He noticed, however, that due to the challenges he faced last year, he lacked some of that confidence. But he came into this offseason with a renewed attitude, showing a complete shift in his mindset. He is now determined to achieve greatness and success.

According to Mack, Bigsby’s confidence has not only increased but the RB coach also believes he’s more thoroughly integrated into the overall offense.

Mack expressed, “It’s merely a matter of refocusing. I believe last year, as a newcomer to the National Football League, everything seemed incredibly fast-paced for him. Now, it appears that things are beginning to slow down for him. He’s gaining a clear understanding of his role in the offense and is getting to know the intricacies of it much better.”

Last season, Etienne had 267 rushes, with no other club back exceeding 50 carries. The running game in Jacksonville experienced periods of decline.

Entering 2024, the Jags are hopeful to achieve more consistency in their ground game, by enhancing their blocking and dedicating more effort to rushing. If Bigsby demonstrates that he can manage part of the responsibility, providing relief for Etienne, this would significantly simplify Doug Pederson’s decision to maintain the rushing strategy.