JACKSONVILLE – This was nothing against anyone.
The Jaguars this week traded running back James Robinson to the New York Jets – and when discussing the trade publicly for the first time Wednesday, Head Coach Doug Pederson made that clear:
This wasn’t a case of not liking the third-year veteran. Or of Robinson doing anything wrong.
“It’s the nature of our business,” Pederson said as the Jaguars (2-5) prepared to play the Denver Broncos (2-5) at Wembley Stadium in London Sunday at 9:30 a.m. “I’ve got a lot of respect for James and what he has done – what he has done for me and the organization.
“It’s a great opportunity for him. Teams begin to search. We got a call on him and made the decision to move on.”
Pederson said the Jets phoned the Jaguars Monday, with the teams’ finalizing the trade Tuesday. He also said he spoke to Robinson Tuesday, adding that the Jaguars were not actively trying to trade their leading rusher from 2020 and 2021.
Second-year running back Travis Etienne Jr. started ahead of Robinson the last two weeks, rushing for 200 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in that span. Etienne, the No. 25 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, has rushed for 415 yards and a touchdown on 68 carries this season.
“I loved playing alongside of him,” Etienne said of Robinson. “At the end of the day, it’s a business and it’s a business decision. It hurts. We have to move forward as a team and just keep pushing, but I’m happy for him and excited for him. I feel like he’s going to have a great year.”
Etienne said he learned of the trade from Robinson Monday evening.
“I texted him Monday,” Etienne said. “We were going to get together and go do some things [Tuesday]. That’s when he told me he was going to be in the [Jaguars’] facility because he was getting traded. Obviously, the conversation shifted and there was a weird energy. I told him, ‘Keep your head up. Everything happens for a reason.’
“It’s not for us to understand. We’re just here to do a job. They pay us to…
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