Jacksonville Jaguars: Can Toby Gerhart Improve on Dismal 2014 Season?

There are currently six running backs who are legitimately competing for a Jacksonville Jaguars roster spot and/or the starting role. Toby Gerhart should be a guaranteed member of the final roster, but it's obvious that he doesn't plan to stop there.

Signed in free agency in 2014, Gerhart came to Jacksonville to properly earn a starting RB job after backing up Adrian Peterson with the Minnesota Vikings.

However, his first year in Jacksonville didn't work out like he expected.

Gerhart walked into his new job with a lot of hype. He did a great job of backing up Peterson for four years, but he seemed ready to try to earn a starting job somewhere else. Predictions of success varied, but the general idea was that Gerhart was going to have a solid year.

That didn't happen. In fact, Gerhart had one of his toughest years in football. As seen in the stats below, Gerhart struggled after an injury in Week 1 and was never able to bounce back:

Year	Attempts	Yards	Average	Touchdowns
2010	81	322	4.0	1
2011	109	531	4.9	1
2012	50	169	3.4	1
2013	36	283	7.9	2
2014	101	326	3.2	2

The 2014 stat that stands out the most is definitely the average yards per carry, as Gerhart could only muster 3.2 YPC. Besides the 2012 season, Gerhart was a great option off the bench, averaging 4.0, 4.9 and 7.9 YPC in 2010, 2011 and 2013, respectively.

The 7.9 yards per carry in 2013 is obviously an attractive stat, and that could be a reason why there was so much hype for Gerhart—and understandably so. That is an unbelievable average, and it seemed like Gerhart was ready to snatch a starting role.

When he got injured and didn't take over as the starter, the rise of fellow RB Denard Robinson helped the Jaguars instead.

However, the Jaguars lacked a physical specialist between the tackles.

Now, the Jaguars have drafted T.J. Yeldon as the feature back, and Robinson will be a viable option off the bench. Neither are the biggest backs, but Yeldon seems able to run inside and out, and Robinson will take the reps that require bursts of speed.

So, where is Gerhart's role in the offense? Well, according to Jaguars.com's John Oehser, Gerhart will play a versatile role for the Jaguars in new offensive coordinator Greg Olson's offense.

Gerhart is excited too. Some players may be disappointed to move away from the original plan, but Gerhart seems optimistic, saying, "It allows me to get downhill, move around, play some fullback, play some halfback, split out and do a little bit of everything. It’s a lot of fun. I’m real excited.”

John Raoux/Associated Press

It seems like Robinson isn't the only versatile player in the Jaguars' backfield, and using Gerhart's physicality and skill set in other places should give them a great support player to help the offense in any way it needs him.

This isn't to say he's completely out of the RB race either.

At worst, he's third. With Robinson and Yeldon being put as co-starters on the Jaguars' latest depth chart, Gerhart is still likely to get reps, and a few good preseason games could propel him in the mix.

It's nice to know the Jaguars have options, and it's even better knowing that Gerhart isn't just a backup, but an all-around tool. As the first article mentions, Gerhart's offseason has been going very well and there's still time for him to become an even bigger presence in the offense.

As the season progresses, Gerhart's place in the offense could change—likely for the better. He's shown in Minnesota that he can be a legit option at running back, and his contributions there and elsewhere should start to grow in number and importance.

A positive offseason, a new coordinator and better all-around health is setting up for a promising 2015 season for Gerhart.

We'll have to wait for in-game results to make the next judgment, but the Jaguars having another offensive weapon makes an exciting season even more interesting.

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.