Once promising former Jaguars star dubbed as surprising trade bait

Not that long ago, running back Travis Etienne was a key contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fast forward to 2025, and it looks like he's no longer part of their long-term plans. In fact, Adam Schefter of ESPN says that the former Clemson Tiger could walk the plank in Draft Weekend.

Schefter shared several tidbits ahead of draft day and listed Etienne as one of many players on their rookie deals who could become expendable after the draft.

Etienne was the 25th overall pick in the 2021 draft. Although he missed his rookie campaign after suffering a Lisfranc injury, he became a mainstay of the Jacksonville offense in 2022, toting the rock 220 times for 1,125 yards with five touchdowns. The Louisiana native followed that up with 1,008 yards on 267 carries with 11 touchdowns the following year.

Unfortunately, injuries hindered Etienne last year, and Tank Bigsby proved to be more effective when thrust into action. Add the fact that the Jaguars appear to be targeting running back Ashton Jeanty with the fifth overall pick, and "ETN" could be gone once the draft is over.

In fact, Etienne would be an appealing fallback for teams who miss out on Jeanty. The Las Vegas Raiders, the Chicago Bears, and the Dallas Cowboys could end up being trade destinations for the fifth-year running back.

Aside from Etienne, other players Schefter believes could walk the plank are quarterback Will Levis (Tennessee Titans), defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux and offensive lineman Evan Neal (New York Giants), cornerback Greg Newsome II (Cleveland Browns), and running back Rachaad White (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

One thing would keep the Jaguars from trading Travis Etienne

Even if the Jacksonville Jaguars don't draft Ashton Jeanty, they could move on from Travis Etienne if they add a running back in Rounds 2 or 3 of the draft. This year's class is loaded at the position, so the front office may not pass up the chance to bolster the offensive backfield. On the other hand, there may be a scenario in which the Jags keep Etienne around.

Defensive tackle, cornerback, wide receiver, the interior offensive line, and defensive end are probably bigger needs than running back for the Jaguars. For the sake of the argument, let's say the team's brass goes with Mason Graham or Jalon Walker at No. 5. Jacksonville then adds a cornerback in Round 2 and drafts an offensive lineman one pick later.

Having passed on the running back position, the Jaguars may want to keep Etienne around. Sure, they would probably try to trade him and get some kind of compensation rather than let him walk and get nothing in return. That said, it wasn't that long ago that he was an important part of the offense. If he's fully healthy in 2025, he could form a dynamic backfield tandem alongside Tank Bigsby and provide insurance at running back.

Of course, it all will come down to how the draft unfolds, but the likelihood of Travis Etienne sticking around will come down to whether the Jags add a running back early in the process.

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