Travis Etienne Becoming Trevor Lawrence's 'Safety Blanket' Is Important
By Peter Dewey
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne’s chemistry with quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been on full display in training camp.
Etienne, who was Lawrence’s running back at Clemson University, has become the “safety blanket” for the rookie quarterback heading into the team’s first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
"When Trev's out there, I kind of feel like the ball is coming to me because he's not used to everything yet," Etienne said. "So, he's still trying to figure out everything and he has a sense of normalcy with me. So he definitely finds me in the check down position… He kind of uses me as a safety blanket."
As Lawrence gets more and more comfortable in the Jaguars’ offense, he will likely expand the role of other pass catchers, but this is a great sign for Etienne’s early-season outlook.
WynnBET has a prop for which Jaguar will catch Lawrence’s first touchdown pass, and the rookie running back seems like a great value bet at +550 odds. D.J. Chark Jr., the team’s top wideout, is out for the rest of the preseason after suffering a fracture in his finger, which won’t allow him the time to build a connection with Lawrence.
While Laviska Shenault (+250) and Marvin Jones Jr. (+550) both could step up, Etienne seems to have a leg up on everyone in Jacksonville.
It will be interesting to see how this factors into the Jaguars’ running back competition, as Etienne and James Robinson both have the same odds (+20000) to lead the NFL in rushing this season.
The Jaguars certainly want to make Lawrence as comfortable as possible, and even though Robinson was a breakout star in his rookie season in 2020, that may mean turning the starting job over to Etienne.
New head coach Urban Meyer has praised Robinson this offseason, but the Jaguars didn’t select Etienne in the first round for him to sit on the bench. I’d expect him to eventually handle the No. 1 duties for the Jaguars this season.
Until Lawrence is truly comfortable with the new offense, expect Etienne to gobble up targets and yardage when Lawrence looks to check down this preseason and early into the regular season.
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