Why the Jaguars Should Move on from Their 26-Year-Old Running Back
When the Jaguars traded Jalen Ramsey to the Rams in 2020, they gained a first-round pick, which they used to select Travis Etienne. The five-foot-ten, 215-pound running back out of Clemson. Just before his rookie season started, Etienne would suffer a significant tear in the Lisfranc zone of his foot, requiring surgery and ending his season prematurely. The Jaguars would begin the 2022 season with a split backfield, with Etienne and James Robinson leading the way. On October 22nd, 2022, the Jaguars would trade Robinson to the New York Jets for a sixth-round pick. This trade showed the confidence the Jaguars had in Etienne, making him the starting running back. During the 2022 season, the Jaguars made the playoffs for the first time since 2017, defeating the Chargers in a thrilling 31-30 game. Etienne would finish the 2022 campaign with 1,125 yards and five rushing touchdowns to go along with 35 receptions for 316 receiving yards.
The 2023 season would be roughly the same for the running back, finishing with 267 carries for 1,008 rushing yards, as well as 11 touchdowns. During Week Five against the Bills in London, Etienne would finish with 136 rushing yards along with two touchdowns, as the Jaguars would go on to defeat the Bills 25-20. With back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons, it looked like the Jaguars had finally found another running back to replace the shoes of legends like Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. During the offseason, the Jaguars would elect to pick up the fifth-year option on Etienne, rather than offering him a long-term contract. During the offseason, the Jaguars would commit to giving less of a workload to Etienne and utilizing more running backs, like Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson.
The 2024 season would be less than ideal for Etienne. Week One, the Dolphins would take on the Jaguars, and Etienne would ultimately fumble on the goal line, which would turn out to be a costly mistake. The Dolphins would turn around, and Tua Tagovailoa would fire an 80-yard touchdown to speedster Tyreek Hill, which would cut the lead to three. The Jaguars would eventually lose 20-17, which would mark just the beginning of a long and excruciating season. It was clear that he was no longer the same player. He recorded only half of the yards he had the season prior, and only had two touchdowns, both coming in Weeks One and Two. Tank Bigsby would eventually take over the starting role, where he shined, having two 100+ yards games, as well as a 118-yard, two-touchdown performance in Week 10 against the Patriots. In the offseason, the Jaguars used their fourth-round pick on Virginia running back Bhayshul Tuten. They also used their sixth-round pick on Syracuse running back LeQuint Allen Jr.
It seems evident that this will be Travis Etienne’s last season in a Jaguar uniform. After the emergence of Bigsby last season, as well as new rookies Tuten and Allen, it seems inevitable. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is seeking a new deal with the Jaguars. The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens have been rumored to be interested in the former first-round pick. So, will the Jaguars trade Etienne? Liam Coen has stated that he wants to keep the running back on the roster, but at the end of the day, football is all about money, and I don’t see a world where GM James Gladstone pays four running backs.
