Big Cat Country
After leading the Jacksonville Jaguars in all rushing categories last season, Tank Bigsby accounted for just 12 of the team’s 200 rushing yards in its dominant Week 1 win.
24 hours after the game, Ian Rapoport reported that Bigsby has been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for 2026 fifth and sixth round picks.
The Eagles “liked Bigsby’s effectiveness as a kickoff returner” according to The Athletic’s Brooks Kubena. Bigsby’s 28.5 yards per return ranks 10th out of 54 players (min. 10 kick returns) since he entered the league in 2023.
He had a 20-yard return on Sunday in the debut of the league’s new dynamic kickoff rule, which was designed to promote returns. The design worked. According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, the NFL’s Week 1 touchback rate on kickoffs dropped from 64.5% in 2024 to 18.6% this season.
With Bigsby out of the fold, Jacksonville’s primary kick returners figure to be Parker Washington and Bhayshul Tuten.
The team’s belief in Tuten and fellow Day 3 rookie LeQuint Allen allowed the Jaguars to continue to stock draft capital. Those two will mix in on offense behind lead back Travis Etienne, who posted over 150 yards from scrimmage in Week 1.
“You could feel [Etienne] all day,” head coach Liam Coen said postgame. “You definitely felt him being a little bit — having a little bit more burst maybe than other guys on the grass. He looked fresh. He looked fast. He took care of the football. Proud of him. He did a great job, but the whole unit, really all the way through the end of the game, ran the ball effectively.”
Bigsby finished his Jaguars career with 223 carries for 910 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and 9 touchdowns, plus 8 receptions for 60 yards.
Jacksonville now has a league-high 13 picks in next year’s NFL Draft.
What are your thoughts on the trade, Jaguars fans? Let us know in the comments!
