Ever since the end of the 2024 season, running back Travis Etienne has been the subject of trade chatter. The speculation only ramped up when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen this past April. The fact that the fifth-year veteran didn't participate on Day 4 of Organized Team Activities won't dispel the rumors.
Jamal St. Cyr of News4Jax reported that Etienne didn't attend Day 4 of OTAs. He didn't provide any reasons, and it's possible that the coaching staff will give an explanation. Having said that, it's not hard to see the link between his absence and a potential trade.
The team's brass has rarely talked about Etienne, and a report surfaced that the Jags weren't high on him or Tank Bigsby. This is feasible when you take into account that they drafted Tuten and might've selected RJ Harvey one round earlier if he had been available.
Of course, there's a chance that it's nothing more than noise and Jacksonville will end up keeping Etienne. After all, the idea has some merit. A first-round pick in the 2021 draft, the former Clemson Tiger missed his rookie campaign with a Lisfranc Injury but logged over 1,400 yards from scrimmage the following year. He followed that up with another 1,000-yard season in 2023.
Unfortunately, Etienne dealt with a shoulder injury last year that hindered his performance. Couple that with Bigsby's ascension, and it's easy to see why the Jags would want to move on from him.
Think about it, Etienne is entering a contract year, and teams in need of running back help would most definitely call Jacksonville if he were available. For instance, the Denver Broncos, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Minnesota Vikings could all use him.
Why the Jaguars may trade Travis Etienne before the regular season
There's no doubt that Travis Etienne would give the Jacksonville Jaguars enviable depth at running back. But if they have already decided that he's not part of their long-term future and want to give more reps to Bhayshul Tuten in the summer, they'll probably be better off trading him as soon as possible. For this to happen, though, the team's brass must make sure that Tuten is ready, and he may not be just yet.
The former Virginia Tech Hokie has had issues holding onto the football, losing nine fumbles in the past two years. Then on Day 1 of OTAs, he lost the ball on his first reps. Unless he shows improvement, holding onto Etienne would seem like a reasonable course of action, at least until the regular season.
Now, Etienne's absence could be injury-related or may be due to personal reasons. Conversely, it could be a sign that either he or the team isn't seeing eye to eye. Nevertheless, signs point toward him being traded, and if that's the case, the Jags are better off moving on from him as soon as possible.
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