The Jaguars are giving their roster a makeover. Already, they've cut ties with several players and could still release or trade a few others in the upcoming months. In fact, chatter about the Jags moving Travon Walker has heated up ahead of the draft even if they're not entertaining offers. However, there's another player, one on the opposite side of the ball, who may have a higher chance of changing teams before or during the draft.
While Jacksonville may not be listening to offers for Walker, the same may not apply to running back Travis Etienne, who's been the subject of trade speculation since the end of the 2024 season.
The new regime has shown that it isn't afraid to move on from veteran players, having already shipped Christian Kirk to the Houston Texans and giving tight end Evan Engram the boot not long after. This doesn't bode well for Etienne, who's entering a contract year and was outperformed by fellow running back Tank Bigsby in 2024. This in turn has led Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus to dub the former Clemson Tiger the team's biggest remaining trade asset.
Locker argues that new head coach Liam Coen may want to work with Etienne but could also move on from him given his success with running back Bucky Irving last year.
"Recently hired general manager James Gladstone has already done considerable work to cut ties with players under previous leadership, notably Christian Kirk and Evan Engram. Etienne might be next up.
The former Clemson star declined in 2024, netting a career-worst 62.8 PFF rushing grade with only 2.48 yards after contact per attempt. New head coach Liam Coen could want to maximize Etienne’s abilities, but he also just enjoyed a tremendous rookie year from fourth-round pick Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay. Considering that Etienne is also a 2026 free agent, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Jaguars dealt him.
"
For context, Irving was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft. With Coen as his offensive coordinator, the former Oregon Duck racked up 1,122 yards with eight touchdowns in 17 games with three starts as a rookie. Basically, Locker is stating that the new Jaguars head coach could find a capable replacement for Etienne in the draft and get the most out of him right off the bat. He might not be entirely wrong.
The 2024 running back is as deep as they come. New general manager James Gladstone said as much when he met with the local media at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Analyst Josh Norris of Fantasy Underdog echoes that sentiment, going as far as suggesting that the Jags revamp their backfield and invest a couple of picks at the position.
I'm at the point of RB prospect research where I believe Jacksonville should simply overhaul the position with two of their six top 126 selections
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) March 19, 2025
clean slate upgrade
there's enough talent to easily do it
The Jags won't probably target Asthon Jeanty at No.5 and Omarion Hampton will most likely be gone by the time they're on the clock with the 36th overall pick. However, they should still be able to find a capable back in Rounds 3 or 4. Coincidentally, they have an extra pick in each of these rounds, so they could easily afford to trade Etienne and come out of the draft with a viable backup for Tank Bigsby.
This begs the question, should the Jags really move on from Travis Etienne?
Related story: 5 Jaguars at risk of tumbling down the depth chart in 2025
The case for and against the Jaguars trading Travis Etienne
Even though Etienne was underwhelming in 2024, it wasn't long ago that posted consecutive 1,000 seasons in back-to-back years. Moreover, he did it behind a porous offensive line. If he's healthy, the Louisiana native could still help the Jacksonville Jaguars next season. Then again, it's uncertain if he fits the team's long-term plans.
For starters, Etienne's contract runs through 2025, and the front office may be better off flipping him for a late-round pick rather than letting him walk and get nothing if it doesn't plan to bring him back. It's also worth noting that he isn't a great blocker, and Jacksonville may want to bring someone who excels in that area.
When you add it all up, it is easy to see why the Jaguars might want to trade Travis Etienne. Then again, you could also argue that bringing him back makes sense. And that's the thing, it looks like Jacksonville would benefit either way, so it will come down to how much the new regime truly values the fifth-year running back.
Here are other Jaguars stories you may also like:
manual