A significant development occurred on Monday that should benefit Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten. The Jaguars traded Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for 2026 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks. Tuten now possesses a much clearer path to snaps.
The Bigsby trade further highlights how different regimes value players. Bigsby led the Jaguars in rushing throughout 2024, running for team-highs in yards (766) and touchdowns (seven). He averaged a position-best 4.6 yards per carry.
James Gladstone and Liam Coen were appointed this offseason and immediately decided to revamp the position room. Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. were selected during the 2025 NFL Draft, leading to a crowded room. Many assumed Travis Etienne Jr., who fell out of favor with the previous decision makers last year, would be the odd man out.
Instead, Etienne led the Jaguars in rushing in a convincing Week 1 victory over the Carolina Panthers, gaining 156 total yards. The writing was on the wall with Bigsby rushing for 12 measly yards via five carries. Etienne is the clear-cut RB1 in Jacksonville, and Tuten is now the unquestioned change-of-pace option.
The former Virginia Tech standout had a quiet debut, rushing for 11 yards on three carries. The film paints a brighter picture despite the small sample size. Tuten's longest run went for eight yards. On that rep, Tuten displayed a terrific understanding of Coen's zone-based system before hitting a nice cutback lane and slipping a tackle to burst through the hole.
Bhayshul Tuten RB1 szn loading https://t.co/eeJZAGxQcy pic.twitter.com/uCEFebXEFA
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 9, 2025
The Jaguars quickly decided to move Tuten up the depth chart by trading Bigsby. It was a promotion he proved he deserved throughout a fantastic preseason performance. Tuten appeared in two exhibition games, rushing for a touchdown in each warm-up showcase.
Gladstone was convinced to select Tuten after he posted some outstanding athletic testing numbers during the pre-draft process. Tuten posted position-bests at the NFL Combine in the 40-yard dash (4.32), vertical jump (40.5 inches), and 10-yard split (1.49). He was prolific at Virginia Tech, rushing for 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024.
Ironically enough, Tuten was picked in the fourth round (No. 104 overall) with the other selection Gladstone got back in his aggressive move-up for Travis Hunter. The Jaguars parted with significant capital to acquire Hunter, but having that extra fourth-round selection turn into Tuten could prove pivotal.
Allen Jr., the other ball-carrier the Jaguars drafted, should also benefit from Bigsby's departure. He rushed once for seven yards against the Panthers in Week 1, and also caught a four-yard pass. Allen Jr. recorded 64 receptions at Syracuse last season and could be Coen's designated pass-catching back moving forward.
Tuten was drafted with a borderline top-100 selection to own a significant share of Jacksonville's backfield eventually. The future has already arrived following Gladstone's decision to trade Bigsby to the Eagles. Etienne appears poised to enjoy a massive season, but Tuten will make an impact as the electric change-of-pace option all campaign long.