The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Liam Coen as their head coach and are in the process of finding a new general manager after kicking Trent Baalke to the curb. That means change is coming, and the roster will probably experience an overhaul. Aside from the players the Jags will acquire throughout the offseason, they'll also move on from others who no longer fit their vision. Running back Travis Etienne is one of them, and the Bleacher Report scouting department thinks he could be gone in 2025.
B/R put together an offseason trade guide for each team and discussed every team's potential candidates. For the Jags, the staff included the usual suspects: Wide receiver Christian Kirk, tight end Evan Engram, and running back Travis Etienne.
Regarding Etienne, B/R believes the Los Angeles Chargers are a realistic destination for Etienne, pointing out that J.K. Dobbins came through last year but has dealt with several injuries throughout his career. On top of that, he's slated to become a free agent. If Bolts general manager Joe Hortiz wants to upgrade the backfield, he could give the Jags a call.
"Hortiz had to manage a tough cap situation in his first offseason with the Chargers. Now the coffers are a little more full. That could allow the executive to get a little more aggressive if he wants.
That could come into play with the running back position. J.K. Dobbins was good when he was healthy, but injuries have been a problem for him since he came into the league. They might be able to go younger and healthier by making a deal for Travis Etienne Jr. He had a rough year with the Jaguars, but he is a former first-rounder with upside."
From a cap standpoint, it would make sense if the Jaguars want to move on from Etienne. He's had his fifth-year option exercised last offseason and his contract runs through 2025. If he were traded, Jacksonville would free up $6.1 million in space. While it's not currently in a cap crunch that extra amount could come in handy in free agency.
Another reason the Jaguars may want to trade Etienne will be to pave the way for Tank Bigsby and make him the No. 1 option in their backfield. After an underwhelming rookie season, the former Auburn Tiger stepped up in 2024, toting the rock 168 receptions for 766 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions.
Travis Etienne gives the Jaguars a tough decision in the offseason
The pros of trading Travis Etienne are clear: The Jacksonville Jaguars can free up space, acquire a draft pick (maybe a fourth), get younger at the position, and give Tank Bigsby a bigger workload. That said, it also comes with a set of cos.
For starters, Etienne was a key cog on offense before 2024. Even though he missed his rookie season with a Lisfranc injury, he was a playmaker in 2022-2023, registering over 1,400 yards from scrimmage both years. Sure, his production took a dip last year, but he was dealing with injuries and the offensive line struggled to open holes upfront.
If he leaves there's no guarantee the Jags will find his replacement in the draft. Moreover, he could bounce back with Liam Coen at the helm. During his stint as the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he fixed the running game, which went from one of the worst in the league to the top 5 in just one year. He could have a similar impact in Duval.
It's also worth noting that Etienne's salary of $6.1 million isn't cost-prohibitive, and if the team's brass wants to keep him around, it can do it without repercussions. Worst-case scenario? He has another underwhelming season and leaves in free agency in 2026. Best case? He forms a dominant tandem alongside Bigsby and shows up. If that's how things turn out, his stock will get a boost, and the former Clemson Tiger will give the front office a tough decision to make.
The bottom line is that Travis Etienne poses an intriguing conundrum. Whether the Jaguars keep him or not will ultimately come down to how much Liam Coen values him.