The 1-5 Jaguars are closing in on having a fork stuck in them. As the tines press against the outer layer of the epidermis, the question becomes whether any players are available to be turned into future draft assets.
The most obvious name is running back Travis Etienne. A first-round pick in 2021, Etienne has slipped behind Tank Bigsby as the best running back on the roster, in the opinion of many. So why not send Etienne to a team that is looking to boost its backfield in an effort to contend?
He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, after losing his rookie year to injury. So far this year, he has 230 yards on 56 carries. That puts him on pace for 651 rushing yards.
On Sunday, in a blowout loss to the Bears, he had a career-low minus-1 yards on three carries.
Bigsby has more yards (297) on nearly fewer carries (41). He’s averaging eight yards per attempt.
Etienne has a base salary of $2.418 million in 2024. With six weeks gone, that leaves $1.612 million — with $134,333 per week being paid out.
The Jaguars picked up Etienne’s option for 2025, putting him under contract for a fully-guaranteed $6.143 million in 2025. Some teams might view that as a negative factor, given the market at the position. (The Steelers didn’t pick up the Najee Harris option for 2025, even though he had more yards than Etienne in 2023; 1,035 to 1,008.)
Regardless, Etienne might need a change of scenery. And a contender might need a boost at the position. An injury could create a need. Or maybe a team like Dallas, which has become heavily skewed toward the pass, will be in the market.
If they can afford him. Because that’s their excuse for anyone they don’t pursue.