The Jacksonville Jaguars entered this season without a clear hierarchy in their running back room.
It’s clear now, though — this is Bhayshul Tuten’s backfield. The second-year RB is blossoming into a star for one of the AFC’s best teams.
That does create a potential opportunity for the Jaguars to cash in on other members of their running back depth chart, though, and with the NFL trade deadline coming on Tuesday, Nov. 10, it’s something worth keeping an eye on.
ESPN’s Ben Solak floated the idea in a new article on Tuesday that the Jags actually have the ideal running back match for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jaguars-Bengals Trade Rumor
Solak thinks that the Jags’ RB2, Chris Rodriguez Jr., would be exactly what the Bengals could use right now.
“Jaguars running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. has lost the timeshare to Bhayshul Tuten, but Rodriguez is still a solid player who would pair well with a twitchy counterpart (looking at you, Cincinnati),” Solak writes.
Earlier in the article, Solak wrote, “The Bengals are still looking for an upgrade over Chase Brown.”
Brown has been a quality back for Cincinnati in recent seasons, but he hasn’t had quite the same juice to him this season.
Rodriguez is a bruising back who would add a new element in Cincy.
Jaguars Question
Just because Rodriguez would fit the Bengals and be worth pursuing for Cincinnati doesn’t mean it makes sense for Jacksonville to trade him away.
The Jaguars are hoping to win the AFC South title again but also go further. They won the division last year but didn’t win a playoff game.
Rodriguez could be a valuable trade chip for the Jaguars if he brought back help at a position where they have more need, like the interior of the defensive line.
But if Rodriguez was just being moved for a future pick, that doesn’t seem all that logical for the Jags as a move to make right now — what would they gain in the present by making such a move?
Tuten is a rising star, yes, but the modern NFL really needs teams to have two good RBs, at least — and if Tuten were to get injured, Rodriguez would be even more vital.
Maybe Rodriguez feels a bit like a luxury, but the Jaguars are a good team — they can have luxuries.
Unless the offer from Cincinnati is too good to turn down, it’s not clear what the Jags themselves would gain by moving Rodriguez in the next week.
Jaguars RB Trade Would Align With Bengals