NFL insider's report on Travis Etienne is literally the Jaguars' worst nightmare

With free agency around the corner, the market is taking shape. One player who should have no shortage of suitors if he's available is running back Travis Etienne. The Jacksonville Jaguars would love to have him back, but they may not have enough space to make him an attractive enough offer.

Sure, the Jags could find a way to keep Etienne around. But if he leaves, there's a chance their worst nightmare could come true.

Travis Etienne could join the Houston Texans if the Jaguars let him walk

Aaron Wilson of KPCR2 reported after the NFL Scouting Combine ended that the Houston Texans are going to "be involved in a high-end running market," noting that they have shown interest in pursuing Travis Etienne and fellow running back Rico Dowdle.

At this point, it's all but guaranteed that Houston will cut ties with running back Joe Mixon after he missed the 2025 season with injuries. Nick Chubb and Woody Marks are also on the Texans roster, but neither is suited to take on a starting role at this point in their respective careers. That makes Etienne an intriguing target in the open market.

The Texans are currently $7 million over the cap right now, so they'll need to free up space if they want to ink Etienne. That said, they'll be far from the only team that could make a bid for the 2021 first-round pick.

Aside from Houston, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears have emerged as potential landing spots for Etienne. Although Spotrac projects him to earn an annual average of $6.9 million, nobody will bat an eye if he gets a contract in the range of $8 million to $10 million.

Last year, Etienne racked up 1,399 yards from scrimmage with 13 total touchdowns. He missed his rookie campaign with a Lisfranc injury but has crossed the 1,400-yard mark twice the past four years.

The Jaguars cannot let Travis Etienne sign with the Texans

It's not a foregone conclusion that the Jaguars will let Travis Etienne walk in free agency. The franchise tag wasn't an option, but they have a few days to get a deal done. If he ends up walking through, the last thing they'll want is for the former Clemson Tiger to join the dreaded rival Texans.

Already, Houston has put together a playoff-caliber roster. While they need C.J. Stroud to step up, their offense is stacked with talent. Etienne could be the cherry on top, as he could take some pressure off Stroud and give him a reliable target in the passing game. Just last year, he had six receiving touchdowns. That kind of talent could help the Texans make a deep playoff push.

The one silver lining is that Jacksonville has a capable replacement in Bhayshul Tuten. As a rookie, the former Virginia Tech Hokie displayed big-play capability and showed in the playoffs that he can take on a featured role.

Of course, having Bhayshul Tuten wouldn't be enough to soften the blow of watching Travis Etienne cross enemy lines and having to face him twice a season. Granted, it's not a given that he'll sign with the Texans, but the fact that there's a possibility should make Jacksonville feel uneasy.