Was RB James Robinson a "loser" this offseason?
Second-year Jacksonville running back James Robinson was one of the leagues biggest surprises in 2020. An undrafted rookie out of Illinois State, Robinson won the starting job heading into Week 1 and never looked back, finishing fifth in the league in rushing with 1,070 yards. The Jaguars rewarded him by drafting a running back with the 25th pick in the first round in Travis Etienne, as well as signing free agent back Carlos Hyde and Tim Tebow, who could see carries in an H-back role (if he makes the team). Its for these reasons that Bleacher Reports Maurice Moton lists Robinson as one of the biggest losers of the NFL offseason. Even though James Robinson tied for fifth in rushing with 1,070 yards last year, hell likely accept a lesser role in 2021. Under a new regime, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Carlos Hyde, who played for head coach Urban Meyer at Ohio State between 2012 and 2013, and selected Travis Etienne in the first round of the draft, which creates a crowd in the backfield. Etienne took reps at wide receiver during rookie minicamp, but hell likely handle a good chunk of carries during the regular season. The Clemson product rushed for 4,952 yards and 70 touchdowns through four collegiate terms. According to ESPNs Dianna Russini, the Jaguars may use tight end Tim Tebow in a Taysom Hill-like role. In other words, he could take direct snaps in the Wildcat formation and handoffs for short-yardage rushing attempts. Despite Robinsons ascension from an unknown undrafted free agent out of Illinois State to a top-five rusher, hes one component of a three-man committee in an offense that may not feature a dominant ball-carrier. Robinson will likely see a drop in his second-year rushing numbers with Etienne, Hyde and perhaps Tebow splitting the carries. The Jags staff has made it abundantly clear that it doesnt intend to use Etienne in a normal running back role. Hes been described as a slash player and has taken a lot of reps at receiver during minicamp. He will likely see some carries in a third-down running back role, but that isnt necessarily a bad thing for Robinson. In fact, it could work to his benefit. He shouldered an unsustainable load in 2020. He carried the ball 240 times, which led the league in carry percentage. He was productive, but he wont be for very long if the Jaguars ask him to bear that much of a burden every year. Already, you could see the effects of his workload start to take place at the end of the season, as he missed the final two games with an ankle injury. Etienne possesses a very different skillset than Robinson, allowing him to serve as a change-of-pace back with more capabilities in the passing game. This should allow Robinson to do what he does best without being expected to be on the field for almost every offensive snap. The addition of Hyde only provides further depth. Though he broke 1,000 yards in 2019, he totaled just 356 yards on 81 carries with San Francisco last fall. The 30-year-old returns to the Jags after playing with them in eight games during the 2018 season, but it seems unlikely he will be a major factor in the run game. As far as Tebow goes, it seems a bit earnest to assume hell be able to fit into a role similar to the one Hill held in New Orleans after nine years away from a 53-man roster. Even if he makes the team, hell struggle to see action at tight end, let alone as a featured player in a gadget role. Robinsons role on the team undoubtedly diminished a bit this offseason as the team added more pieces to the run game, and it will likely cause his carry share to drop a bit. But as previously mentioned, that may not be a bad thing. Hes still the clear top running back option and should be the teams leading rusher in 2021. Now, hell just be able to do it while also preserving his long-term health.