We have our first major trade of the 2025 season before Week 1 has even come to an end. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Eagles are trading for Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jaguars will receive 2026 fifth- and sixth-round picks from Philly. There is a slight wrinkle with the return. Per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, the fifth-round selection is the pick the Eagles received from the 49ers in the Bryce Huff trade. That pick is set to improve to a fourth-round pick if Huff hits eight sacks in 2025. In that scenario, the Eagles would send that newfound fourth-round pick to Jacksonville instead of the listed fifth-round selection.
It’s a sudden, stunning move, especially from the Jaguars perspective. Bigsby was listed as a co-starter alongside Travis Etienne for the season opener. The latter finished that victory over the Panthers with 19 touches (including 16 carries) for 156 offensive yards. Bigsby was limited to only five carries and 12 yards.
Following the 2024 campaign, it appeared that Bigsby’s stock was rising in Jacksonville while Etienne’s continued to fall. A 2021 first-round pick, Etienne missed his rookie campaign before topping 1,400 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two healthy NFL seasons. However, he took a step back in 2024, when he was limited to only 812 yards and two scores. Bigsby, a 2023 third-round pick, served as a deep backup as a rookie before cutting into his teammate’s playing time in 2024, with the second-year player compiling 820 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns.
With new head coach Liam Coen and a new front office guiding the way, there were bound to be changes in 2025, especially on offense. The team further muddied their RB depth when they used a pair of draft picks at the position, including fourth-round pick Bhayshul Tuten. The Virginia Tech product impressed during training camp and was expected to carve out his own role as a rookie. However, it was expected to come at the expense of Etienne, not Bigsby.
Now, the Jaguars will move forward with Etienne leading the depth chart and Tuten taking on the RB2 role. Etienne is currently playing on his fifth-year option and is set to hit free agency after the season. The impending free agent has every reason to remain on the field during the 2025 campaign, with Tuten potentially taking over in 2026.
Bigsby, meanwhile, will slide into a clear backup role with the defending champs. Saquon Barkley will continue to command touches as an offensive focal point, which will greatly impact Bigsby’s 2025 outlook. On the flip side, the Bigsby acquisition could convince the Eagles to lean more on their Barkley alternatives.
The defending Offensive Player of the Year finished his first season in Philadelphia with a career-high 378 touches, and that doesn’t include the 100-plus looks he had in the playoffs. Coming off such a significant workload, the Eagles always seemed destined to monitor his touches in 2025. With Bigsby now on the roster, the coaching staff may be even more comfortable giving Barkley some much-needed rest during his age-28 campaign.
The Eagles also lost some depth at the position during their season opener, as backup Will Shipley exited the game with a rib injury. AJ Dillon is currently penciled in as the team’s RB3, and Bigsby could slide right into Shipley’s spot on the depth chart assuming the second-year player is forced to miss some time.
The Eagles may also be eyeing Bigsby for a role beyond the offense. According to EJ Smith of PHLY Sports, the RB may have also been acquired for his special teams ability. Bigsby got a look as a kick returner during his first two seasons, returning 10 kickoffs for 294 yards. He also had a 20-yard return yesterday. John Metchie and Shipley both got looks as returners for the Eagles in the season opener, with the duo averaging 16 yards between the two of them.
As Schefter notes, the Super Bowl champs have been especially active in the trade market over the past few weeks. In addition to their acquisitions of Bigsby and Metchie, the team has also added QB Sam Howell and OT Fred Johnson via trade.