The Jacksonville Jaguars will have several tough decisions to make in the offseason. One of the biggest ones will be whether to keep Travis Etienne. The veteran running back is coming off a productive season, and there's no doubt that the offense is better when he's on the field.
Etienne has made it clear that he wants to return to Duval, but the Jags are dealing with a substantial cap crunch. Re-signing may not be possible, and if he leaves, he'll have no shortage of suitors. One team in particular is quickly emerging as a potential landing spot for the former Clemson Tiger.
The Jaguars could lose Travis Etienne to the CHiefs in free agency
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report put together a list of landing spots for a handful of prominent free agents and picked the Kansas City Chiefs as a destination for Travis Etienne, arguing that he could give their backfield a much-needed boost after an unremarkable 2025.
"Kansas City's ground game completely stalled out in 2025 with both Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt averaging fewer than four yards per carry," Kay wrote. "No Chiefs back eclipsed the 200-yard mark, either, a concerning lack of production that contributed to the club's first missed playoff berth in the Patrick Mahomes era."
Kay continued, "With the superstar signal-caller now working his way back from a major knee injury, the Chiefs must bring in an upper-echelon back who can shoulder a large chunk of the offensive load in 2025. Etienne fits the bill as a do-it-all playmaker who can give this flailing backfield a much-needed shot in the arm."
The Chiefs are coming off an underwhelming season. Even before Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL, the offense failed to move the ball and put points on the scoreboard. The fact that Isiah Pacheco failed to hit his stride most definitely played a role. The Rutgers product has dealt with injuries each of the past two years and hasn't been nearly as productive as he was as a rookie in 2022.
With Pacheco slated to hit the open market, Kansas City may be looking for an upgrade. Etienne would give their backfield a much-needed boost.
A first-round pick by the Jags in 2021, Etienne missed his rookie campaign with a Lisfranc injury but has run for more than 1,000 yards three of the last four seasons. Spotrac values him at $6.8 million per year in free agency. While he may ultimately command a higher amount, there's no doubt that he'll draw interest if he's available.
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Travis Etienne will be a hot commodity if the Jaguars let him walk in free agency
Teams in need of help at running back in free agency will have plenty of options. Aside from Travis Etienne, Javante Williams, Kenneth Walker III, and Rico Dowdly are scheduled to hit the open market. All of them crossed the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, but Etienne is the best receiver out of the bunch, hauling in 36 receptions for 292 yards with a career-best last season. In fact, he's caught at least 35 passes (with a career-high 56 in 2023) the past four years.
Etienne's ability to catch the football out of the backfield will make him an intriguing commodity in free agency. And precisely for that reason, the Jaguars may hesitate to move on from him. Then again, they have Bhayshul Tuten in the fold. The sophomore running back flashed as a rookie, and it's fair to assume that he'll step into a featured role if his veteran counterpart leaves.
The Jaguars would most definitely love to keep Travis Etienne. If he ends up leaving, he'll have no trouble finding a new team.