Free agency is still a few days away, but there's already been a flurry of activity. And while the Jacksonville Jaguars have stayed somewhat quiet, they're surely monitoring the moves other clubs are making.
For instance, the Houston Texans have been busy, shipping offensive tackle Titus Howard to the Cleveland Browns and later trading for running back David Montgomery the same day. This should be welcome news for the Jags, as their odds of watching Travis Etienne bolt for their dreaded division foe have decreased dramatically.
The Texans probably won't target Travis Etienne after the David Montgomery trade
Just a few hours after sending Titus Howard to Cleveland, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported that Houston acquired David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions. Not long after, Dianna Russini of The Athletic added that the Texans gave up a fourth-round pick, a seventh-round pick, and Juice Scruggs in exchange for the veteran running back.
The news that Montgomery was traded shouldn't come as a surprise. Just recently, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Lions could be looking for a fifth-round pick in return for him. Surprisingly, they managed to get more than that, showing just how valuable he is despite the fact that he was the No. 2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit last year.
A third-round pick by the Chicago Bears in 2019, Montgomery signed with the Lions in 2023. Although he crossed the 1,000-yard mark in his first season in Motown, he saw a dip in production once Gibbs joined the Detroit backfield. That led the former Iowa State Cyclone to express displeasure about his role on the team and subsequently request a trade.
Now, Montgomery will get a fresh start with the Texans, where he will immediately step into the starting lineup. In 105 games with 79 starts, he's toted the rock 1,477 times for 6,115 yards with 59 touchdowns. On top of that, he's a viable pass-catcher out of the backfield, which makes him an intriguing addition to the Houston offense.
The Jaguars will no longer have to worry about Travis Etienne landing with the Texans
The Jaguars are probably not thrilled to see David Montgomery join the Texans. On the other hand, they should feel relieved that Travis Etienne probably won't bolt for their dreaded division foe.
Heading into free agency, there was chatter that Etienne could sign with Houston if the Jags let him walk. However, Houston no longer looks like a feasible destination for the 2021 first-round pick. Granted, he could still leave, and teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs or the Chicago Bears could make a bid for him in the open market.
Etienne bounced back after an underwhelming 2024, totaling 1,399 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns. That kind of production will probably make him the most coveted running back in the open market, not named Kenneth Walker III.
As free agency gets closer, it's beginning to look like Travis Etienne will be available, but the Jaguars can at least take solace in the fact that they won't have to play him twice a year.