The Jacksonville Jaguars would love to keep running back Travis Etienne from leaving in free agency. While they have sophomores Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen in the mix, Etienne gives them a dynamic chess piece that can either break off a big run or pass catches out of the backfield. Moreover, it may not be cost-prohibitive to bring him back.
That said, the former Clemson Tiger may want to test the market and see what kind of interest he draws. If he does become a free agent, the Chicago Bears will be among the teams that will reportedly make a strong push to land him.
Travis Etienne could sign with the Bears if he leaves the Jaguars
Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports reports that the Bears could be a landing spot for Travis Etienne in free agency, noting that Chicago could cut ties with running back D'Andre Swift to pave the way for him.
"League insiders have long believed the Chicago Bears will be suitors for Etienne if he hits free agency," Pauline wrote. "This is despite having a solid 1-2 punch with D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai."
Pauline continued, "Swift has one year remaining on his deal, though the Bears can opt out, and Monangai is just a second-year player. While some will see Etienne for Swift as an even swap, sources say the Jags running back is a better fit for Liam Coen's offense, as he's much more of a pass-catching threat."
There's a chance that Pauline misspoke and meant to say that Etienne is a better fit in Ben Johnson's scheme, based on the context of the writing. If that's the case, Etienne is indeed a much-better pass catcher than Swift. In fact, his ability to reel in passes out of the backfield could make him a hot commodity in the open market.
In Chicago, Etienne and Monangai would make an electrifying backfield tandem. The latter had a promising rookie season, toting the rock 169 times for 783 yards with five touchdowns. For his part, Swift racked up 223 carries for 1,087 yards with nine touchdowns.
Aside from rushing over 1,100 yards last year, the Jennings, Louisiana native had 36 catches for 292 yards with six touchdowns. Dating back to 2022, he's hauled in at least 35 receptions every season with a personal-best 58 in 2023. The only reason Etienne didn't reach the threshold in 2021 was that he missed the campaign with a Lisfranc injury.
Spotrac has a valuation of $6.8 million per year for Etienne. That appears to be a bit low. An annual average of $9 million or $10 million may turn out to be the sweet spot. Either way, it's hard to see the veteran running back get a top-market deal.
The Jaguars still have time to get a deal done with Travis Etienne
When a new regime took over in 2025, Travis Etienne seemed to be on his way out. After the arrival of then-rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, it looked like his future in Jacksonville was in doubt. However, No. 1 put his head down and made a strong impression. By Week 1, he was firmly entrenched at the top of the depth chart, and Tank Bigsby would be shipped to Philadephia Eagles just two games into the season.
This is a long-winded way to say that Etienne grew on the new regime. And once it was time to perform, he delivered. For that reason, nobody would bat an eye if the team's brass makes a strong push to re-sign him. That said, the Jags may also try to bring back linebacker Devin Lloyd and cornerback Montaric Brown. They won't be able to re-sign all three, so it could come down to who's the bigger priority.
It may ultimately be tough for the Jaguars to keep Travis Etienne. If leaves, he'll have no shortage of suitors.