3 players not named Travis Etienne the Jaguars can trade around the NFL Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars cut ties with several players ahead of free agency and may move on from a few others to make room for their incoming draft class. One who could get the nod is running back Travis Etienne, who's been the subject of speculation the past few months. In fact, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports believes the former Clemson Tiger is the Jags' most valuable trade chip.

Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports named a trade candidate for every NFL team and chose Etienne for Jacksonville, arguing that the fifth-year running back could be expendable due to the presence of the ascending Tank Bigsby.

"He ran for just 558 yards last season and was passed on the depth chart by Tank Bigsby. But he's also a 26-year-old former first-round pick who ran for 1,000 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons and caught 58 passes two years ago, too. He'd cost his new team $6.1 million, which is a lot considering what happened last season. But he'll be a free agent in March and sure looks like a player who might thrive with a change of scenery."

All things considered, Vacchiano's pitch makes sense. After all, Etienne posted 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023 but wasn't nearly as productive as Bigsby last year. Couple that with the fact that he's entering a contract year, and the Jags may want to trade him for a Day 3 pick instead of getting nothing if they let him walk out next season.

That said, Etienne is far from the only Jaguars player who could switch teams around Draft Day. The following three could also end up on the trade block.

Chad Muma, linebacker

The Jaguars raised eyebrows when they drafted Chad Muma just two rounds after taking fellow linebacker Devin Lloyd 27th overall in 2022. The strategy would've made sense if the former Wyoming Cowboy had turned into a steady contributor in Jacksonville. But three years after the pick, it's fair to say that the team dropped the ball.

What makes the Muma selection so baffling is that Lloyd himself hasn't been great, but he failed to seize on the chances he got to supplant him. Barring an unexpected leap, it's hard to see the Colorado native move up the depth chart.

With one year on his contract, the Jaguars might be better off cutting their losses and trading Muma. They would get a draft pick (probably a seventh) and $1.4 million, while he would get a fresh start somewhere else.

Luke Fortner, center

Filling Brandon Linder's shoes after his retirement was always going to be a tall order, but the Jaguars were confident that Luke Fortner was up to the task. A third-round pick in the 2022 draft, the former Kentucky Wildcat was a Day 1 starter and showed promise in his rookie year. However, he also had lots of room for improvement.

Expected to improve in 2023, Fortner instead regressed and struggled so badly, that the Jags brougth in Mitch Morse last offseason to replace him at center. While head coach Liam Coen previously said that he'll lean on him and free-agent addition Robert Hainsay to teach his system, keeping Fortner around doesn't make sense from a roster building standpoint.

Sure, he could help his teammates get familiarized with the new scheme, but other than that, he would just be taking up a roster spot that could go to a player who could actually contribute on the field. And while he probably won't be in demand if he's placed on the trade block, his 32 starts could appeal to teams in need of depth at the center position.

Cole Van Lanen, offensive lineman

Not long after free agency, a report emerged that the Seattle Seahawks hosted Cole Van Lanen for a visit. Apparently, nothing came out of the meeting. Perhaps they were just doing due diligence, but you cannot rule out a trade just yet. If anything, other teams could be interested in acquiring the former Wisconsin Badger.

After all, Van Lanen lined up at offensive tackle in college but moved to guard when the Green Bay Packers made him a sixth-round pick in 2021. He was traded to the Jaguars one year later and eventually switched back to the edge. That kind of versatility may appeal to teams who want to bolster their depth at offensive tackle.

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