Travis Etienne is optimistic about his recovery after missing 2021 due to injury

The first-round running back admitted to falling into a state of depression after the surgery that prevented him from making his NFL debut in 2021

JACKSONVILLE — Missing his entire rookie season with a foot injury was tough on the Los Angeles running back. jacksonville jaguars, Travis Etienne Jr..but the 25th overall recruit of the 2021 NFL Draft managed to find the positive side of the matter.

At least he was not fully immersed in the disastrous 11-month term of Urban Meyer –one that ended shortly before 1 am on December 16– as did his peers.

“Just looking at the results, you definitely say, ‘Wow, if there was a year to lose, I missed a good one,'” he said.

Putting jokes aside Etienne is glad to be back on the field for the start of the voluntary conditioning program for the Jaguars in the offseason, under the new head coach Doug Peterson. He said he’s still limited in some of his gym work, but works “most things” in terms of field work, and is 85-90 percent recovered from a Lisfranc injury to his left foot sustained during a preseason matchup last August. I hope to be fully medically cleared by the time training camp rolls around.

Etienne he said the only time the injury continues to bother him is after a long training session. That’s when he gets a little sore.

“It’s actually kind of crazy because I was telling my mom about this the other day,” he said. Etienne. “If I didn’t know I had a screw in my foot, I wouldn’t detect it. I feel like it’s proof of where I am in my transition, and I know I’m healing.

“The screw is there. I think I’ll get it out. I could leave it there forever. I know a lot of people say leave it there, it never bothers them, but I don’t want to be a 40-year-old with a screw in my foot, really.” .

Etienne he laughs about the injury now, but he wasn’t dealing with it the best way he could in the days and months after the surgery. The pain was quite intense in the first 48 hours, and he couldn’t put weight on his foot for six weeks, leaving him stuck at home and a bit depressed.

It wasn’t until he was able to return to the compound of the Jaguars to start his rehabilitation, he began to feel better.

“I didn’t realize it then, but I was in a depressed state, not being able to do the things I love,” he revealed. Etienne. “It was my foot, so I couldn’t do anything. So it was really weird, and I didn’t really realize how it took a toll on me, but having my mom there, she helped me stay in tune with myself, and not let go.” to get lost. When I was able to get back into the building with the kids, that helped me a lot, just seeing everyone every day and living through them.”

It is still too early to know how Jaguars plan to employ Etienne this season. Meyer projected a role percy harvin for Etienne as a rookie, which is similar to the way San Francisco 49ers they use to Deebo Samuel. Etienne said he’d be fine with it, but he might have to take over as the Jaguars’ running back early in the season, if james robinson He is not fully recovered from an Achilles tendon injury suffered last December.

Beyond how Jaguars use him, they need him to produce the kind of plays he did in Clemson. The Jaguars had 31 big plays (carries of 20 or more yards and receptions of 30 or more yards) in the last couple of seasons, the fewest in the NFL.

Etienne was one of the most explosive players in the country during his four seasons in Clemson. He led all the players in the NCAA with 55 carries of 20 yards or more from 2017-’20. On those big plays, he had 21 touchdowns and rushed for 2,053 yards, an average of 37.3 yards per carry. Etienne he also had six receptions of 30 or more yards, giving him 61 explosive snaps.

“I hear little things here and there from my running coach [sobre cómo podrían usarme en la ofensiva]”he admitted Etienne. “But, I’m sure they plan to put the ball in my hands. I feel like I’m a special player with the ball in my hands.”