A source informed ESPN's Adam Schefter that Travis Etienne, the Jacksonville Jaguars' rookie running back, will need surgery to treat a Lisfranc Injury. He will be out of action for the entirety 2021 season.
Etienne sustained the injury to his left leg in Monday's 23-21 defeat at New Orleans. The extent of the damage was revealed by tests on Tuesday.
Etienne was able to catch a pass for 3 yards, and he also carried the ball for 1 yard before sustaining an injury against the Saints.
In the 2021 draft, Etienne was drafted by the Jaguars 25th overall. Urban Meyer stated that Etienne would be drafted as a receiver and running back. This is similar to how Percy Harvin was used at Florida. Etienne only had one carry against the Browns in the preseason opener, but he was available in the flat for what could've been a huge play if quarterback Gardner Minshew didn't overthrow him.
Meyer stated that Etienne will bring a big-play component to the offense. ESPN Stats & Information shows that the Jaguars were last among NFL teams in combined rushes of at least 20 yards and pass plays of at least 30 yards. They had 16 yards, which was 33 more than the league-leading Baltimore Ravens.
Over the past four seasons, Etienne was one the most explosive players in America. From 2017 to '20, Etienne was the most prolific player in college football. He ran for 55 runs of 20 yards or more and rushed for 2,053 yards with 21 touchdowns. This averaged 37.3 yards per rush.
Etienne also had six receptions over 30 yards or more, which gave him 61 explosive plays. Comparatively, the Jaguars produced 97 explosive plays between 2017 and '20. The NFL's top team was the Kansas City Chiefs with 173, while the other four teams (the Jaguars Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins) had losing records. In those four seasons, the Jaguars averaged 19.5 points per match, which is less than any other team.
Etienne was the ACC's leading rusher (4752 yards) and left Clemson.
