Jaguars' Travis Etienne Listed as Potential Draft Trade Piece

The more and more the Jacksonville Jaguars are connected to Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL Draft, the more eyes will be on what the Jaguars opt to do with veteran running back Travis Etienne.

Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Etienne would see the running back position become a good bit more crowded if the Jaguars were to invest the No. 5 pick into a running back. Etienne could always be a change of pace back, but he would be one of the most expensive No. 2 running backs in the NFL in the event the Jaguars take Jeanty.

In many ways, the only scenario that would make much sense for both parties would be a potential trade. As such, it isn't a shock to see Etienne land on a potentially important list in the few days before the draft.

In a list of players on rookie contracts who could find their roles change in a big way and thus become potential trade pieces, ESPN's Adam Schefter listed Jaguars' running back Travis Etienne.

Others included on Schefter's list: Will Levis, Treylon Burks, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Evan Neal, Jalin Hyatt, Sam Howell, Tyree Wilson, Greg Newsome, Odafe Oweh, George Pickens, Rachaad White, and Kaushont Boutte.

It remains to be seen what the Jaguars would be able to get for Etienne, who is entering his fifth season after the Jaguars took him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Etienne ahs shown plenty of value in the past, including back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 16 combined rushing scores from 2022 to 2023.

But the 2024 season was a tough one for Etienne in terms of injuries and overall production. And if the Jaguars think the best way they can improve their team at No. 5 is by upgrading the running back position, then things could get murky for Etienne's spot on the offense moving forward.

The Jaguars would likely be best served by giving Etienne and Tank Bigsby another year in the backfield as opposed to spending the draft's fifth pick on another running back, but the potential domino effect of a Jeanty selection should not be discounted.