Travis Etienne out indefinitely with foot injury

Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne is sidelined until further notice with a foot sprain suffered in Monday night’s preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. 

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided an update on the running back early Tuesday morning. 

“#Jaguars RB Travis Etienne, spotted on crutches after the game, suffered a Lisfranc [injury] and will have further tests today, source said,” Rapoport tweeted. “X-Rays were negative so the belief is it’s just a sprain. Exams today will determine how long he’s out.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Etienne was seen limping in a boot following the conclusion of the game. He will return to Jacksonville for additional tests. Lisfranc injuries can vary widely depending on the player’s pain tolerance and the severity of the sprain, so a timeline will not be known until the tests are complete.

Prior to the injury, Etienne had one catch for three yards and a one-yard rush. He played just three snaps. 

The Jaguars fell to the Saints 23-21 in new head coach Urban Meyer’s second showing. They finish out their preseason slate with a Sunday matchup against the Cowboys in Dallas.

Jacksonville needs a talent like Etienne in the backfield

Obviously, Jacksonville has a lot of young talent headed up by No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, but they would like to get Lawrence’s Clemson teammate back as soon as possible. He is one of the league’s most talented rookies. 

James Robinson had 1,070 yards and seven touchdowns on 240 touches last season with an additional 49 catches for 344 yards and three touchdowns through the air. If Etienne is sidelined for an extended period of time, Robinson is likely to get even more touches this season. 

Carlos Hyde and Dare Ogunbowale are the other backs for the Jaguars. Hyde had three carries for 7 yards last night, and Ogunbowale had five carries for just as many yards.

The Jaguars had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL last season, averaging just 94.9 yards per game. The offensive line is expected to look similar to last year’s (one of the few positions they kept pretty stable), but the Jaguars hope the increased depth at the position will lead to improvements from last season. Offensive line coach George Warhop is one of a few coaches that is not new in Jacksonville.