After months of speculations, head coach Liam Coen shut down rumblings that the Jacksonville Jaguars were looking to trade Travis Etienne, pointing out that he's been everything the team expected. However, the noise hasn't stopped, and rightly so. The Jags are stocked at running back, and could easily cut ties with the former Clemson Tiger if they chose so. That's why it's not particularly shocking to see him pop up on Bleacher Report's trade block big board.
Kristopher Knox of B/R put together a list of trade candidates and included Etienne, citing the surplus of running backs in Jacksonville as the main reason. He then names the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers as possible destinations. Here's the skinny.
"The Dallas Cowboys should already be calling about Etienne's availability," Knox wrote. "They currently have a backfield headlined by Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders—two big question marks, given their recent production—and have shown a willingness to trade for talent post-draft. Dallas acquired wideout George Pickens from Pittsburgh on May 7."
Knox continued, "While the Carolina Panthers have two capable backs in Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle, they might also have some interest in Etienne. Carolina drafted his younger brother, Trevor Etienne, in April and employs running backs coach Bernie Parmalee. Parmalee was Jacksonville's running backs coach during Etienne's two best seasons."
The Panthers may not have a big need for a running back. They just drafted Etienne's younger brother in April, and Chuba Hubbard has low-key become a dependable RB1. Granted, the Bernie Parmalee connection can't be ruled out, but Carolina may be comfortable with its current backfield.
On the other hand, Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders have flashed in the past, but neither has been consistent enough to make you think one of them will be a workhorse with the Cowboys. As Knox noted, they're not afraid to make trades, so they could turn out to be a better fit for Etienne than the Panthers.
On a related note, Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd also appeared on the trade big board. He's entering a contract year and may need to beat Ventrell Miller for the starting job next to Foyesade Oluokun.
Why the Jaguars could trade Travis Etienne before the regular season
Following mandatory minicamp, Jaguars senior correspondent Brian Sexton said that he expects Travis Etienne to start come Week 1, and the idea isn't that farfetched. He tallied more than 1,400 yards from scrimmage in both 2022 and 2023. Sure, the Louisiana native is coming off a down season, one in which he averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry, but his statline would've looked much better if he hadn't suffered a shoulder injury and the offensive line could actually block.
Etienne was back at full strength during the offseason program and should have a legitimate chance to earn the RB1 job. That said, competition will be steep. Tank Bigsby outplayed him and showed big-play capability last year. Similarly, rookie Bhayshul Tuten has an intriguing skill set that makes him a threat to break off at any given time. As Liam Coen said when he dismissed the Etienne trade rumors, he's yet to see the trio perform in pads. It will be then when the Jags decide how to proceed.
For the time being, it doesn't make sense to move on from the fifth-year running back. He has a realistic shot at beating Bigsby and Tuten. Moreover, he provides insurance in case Jacksonville suffers an injury.
The bottom line is that there's a legitimate chance Travis Etienne sticks around next season, but nobody will bat an eye if he ends up changing uniforms in the upcoming months.