The Jacksonville Jaguars chose to make upgrades to nearly all position groups in the offseason, and running back was no exception. Although they didn't make any additions in free agency, they used a pair of draft picks on Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen. With the two rookies joining Tank Bigsby in the backfield, Travis Etienne appears to be the odd man out. And if the Jags decided to move on from him in 2025, Justin Melo of The Draft Network has identified three teams that could trade for him.
Melo believes that Etienne could be the victim of the numbers game in Jacksonville, and sees the Baltimore Ravens, the Denver Broncos, and the Minnesota Vikings as potential trade destinations.
The Ravens are a bit of an odd choice given that they just signed Derrick Henry to a contract extension. That said, they may want to have insurance and a capable running back that can spell him from time to time to ensure he stays fresh throughout the game, and his shelf life is extended even longer. The fact that Etienne can catch the football out of the backfield would make him an intriguing addition.
On the other hand, the Broncos would've made more sense as a potential landing spot before they drafted RJ Harvey in Round 2. The former Virginia Cavalier will be RB2 at Mile High City. Then again, Denver doesn't have much depth behind Harvey, so bringing in a veteran seems like a reasonable thing to do.
Like Baltimore and the Broncos, the Vikes already have a starting running back but could use reinforcements. As Melo points out, Aaron Jones is 30 and could most certainly benefit from a decreased workload. Etienne could certainly help in that regard.
Had the Jaguars not drafted Tuten or Allen, maybe Etienne would look much safer and wouldn't be part of any trade chatter. Couple that with the fact that he's entering a contract year, and it's easy to see why Jacksonville may want to try to get something in exchange for him instead of letting him walk in 2026.
It's also worth noting that Melo is far from the only analyst who thinks Etienne could be a trade candidate. Adam Schefter of ESPN had previously identified him as potentially expendable before the draft. More recently, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated acknowledged that the fifth-year running back could garner interest if he became available.
Why the Jaguars may want to trade Travis Etienne
While Travis Etienne doesn't appear to have a future with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he is no slouch. Granted, he's coming off an underwhelming season but also dealt with injuries throughout the year and was playing behind a porous offensive line. It's fair to assume that he'll fare much better under better circumstances. And that's the thing! The Louisiana native has already proven that he can play at a high level.
After missing his rookie campaign with a Lisfranc injury, Etienne posted over 1,000 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons. On top of that, he showed in 2023 that he's great at creating yards after contact. That said, the former Clemson Tiger was outplayed by Tank Bigsby last year. Couple that with the fact that the new regime isn't seemingly high on him, and it's easy to see why he could change teams in the upcoming months.
Sure, Travis Etienne could stay in Jacksonville for the remainder of 2025 and compete for a role. That said, if a team is in desperate need of running back help, the Jaguars may not hesitate to trade him.
Here are other Jaguars stories you may also like: