![Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference at Miller Electric Center Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_467,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/55/01jtf385w1gqfb410c7b.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone speaks during a press conference at Miller Electric Center Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]")
Every time there's a new regime in charge, changes are expected, and players who were once key contributors no longer fit the team's vision. Such may be the case with running back Travis Etienne. Already, he was seen as a potential trade candidate due to the emergence of Tank Bigsby, and his odds of returning to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025 decreased after the NFL Draft. In fact, Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network is one of many analysts who think "ETN" could be on his way out.
Xie put together a list of players he deems expendable for each NFL team and included Etienne, citing the presence of Bigsby and the addition of rookies Bhayshal Tuten and LeQuint Allen to the Jacksonville backfield as potential reasons for the Jags to move on from him.
"PFSN highlighted Travis Etienne Jr. as a top pre-draft trade candidate for the Jaguars. That noise will only grow louder after the Jags used their first Day 3 pick on super-athlete Bhayshul Tuten, who tore up the NFL Combine with a 4.32 40-yard dash at 206 pounds.
With Etienne in the final year of his contract, his future in Jacksonville continues to look murky. The Jaguars could feasibly get by with a duo of Tuten and Tank Bigsby in 2025, if the rookie looks ready to play. Etienne had his least efficient season in 2024, averaging career-lows in yards per carry (3.7) and yards per touch (4.3)."
Aside from Xie, Ralph Vacchiao of Fox Sports has also brought up Etienne as potential trade bait. The same is true for Adam Schefter of ESPN, who saw the former first-round pick as a candidate to get the boot during or after the draft.
After an underwhelming rookie campaign in 2023, Bigsby emerged as the lead running back for the Jags last year, toting the rock 168 times for 766 yards with seven touchdowns. For comparison, Etienne tallied 150 carries for 552 yards with two touchdowns.
To bolster their running back group, the Jags drafted Tuten in the fourth round and Allen in the seventh. The former is a speedster who runs with aggression on his way to the end zone. Speaking of, he scored 25 rushing touchdowns the past two seasons. If he can fix the fumble issues that plagued him throughout his collegiate career, he will give Jacksonville a bruising backfield tandem alongside Bigsby.
On the other hand, Allen lacks top speed and athleticism but also has a nose for the end zone, scoring 32 total touchdowns in three seasons at Syracuse. His pass-blocking skills and pass-catching prowess could make him a valuable contributor.
With Allen and Tuten in the fold, Etienne could become the victim of the numbers game. Although he posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, he's coming off a disappointing season. Add the fact that he's entering a contract year, and the Jags may be better off placing him on the trade block.
Why the Jaguars could trade Travis Etienne in 2025
The Jacksonville Jaguars could keep Travis Etienne as insurance next season. He's just one year removed from his last 1,000-yard season and could improve after dealing with a shoulder injury last year. That said, he's expected to make $6.1 million in 2025. Bhayshaul Tuten and LeQuint will make significantly less, so trading Etienne would make sense from a financial standpoint. On top of that, the Jags could get something in return.
Even if Jacksonville gets a sixth or seventh-round pick in exchange for Etienne, it could use it as trade ammo next year. General manager James Gladstone just proved that he's not afraid to trade up or down, so having an extra selection could come in handy.
It's also worth noting that if the Jaguars thought that Etienne was part of their long-term plans, they wouldn't have added Tuten and LeQuint in the draft. If they ultimately keep him around, he might need to compete for his job, and won't have the edge that comes with being the incumbent because there's a new regime in place.
The bottom is that the writing is on the wall for Travis Etienne. Whether it's this year or next, the Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be ready for his eventual departure.