Travis Etienne landing spots: Cowboys, Chiefs among best fits if Jaguars trade RB

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan believes that the 2024 Jaguars are one of the most talented teams in the franchise's history. As the trade deadline approaches, he may find out whether other NFL clubs agree with him.

The Jaguars are poised to be one of the NFL's biggest trade deadline sellers after a lackluster start to the season. Jacksonville isn't looking like a playoff contender, so they may try to bolster their draft assets by offloading some of their extraneous role players.

Travis Etienne Jr. could be among those players. The fourth-year pro has seen his production decline significantly this season. He was on pace for just 910 scrimmage yards after six weeks before being sidelined by a nagging hamstring injury. In the previous two seasons, Etienne racked up 1,400-plus scrimmage yards.

While Etienne has regressed, Tank Bigsby has thrived with increased opportunities, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and posting two games with at least 100 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. As such, it's safe to assume that the Jaguars would be comfortable operating with Bigsby as their top back and giving Etienne a chance for a change of scenery.

Etienne returned from his hamstring injury in Week 9 against the Eagles, and he led the Jaguars in rushing yards, but Bigsby led the backfield with eight touches. Bigsby played 55% of the snaps, while Etienne played 31%.

Etienne would likely draw some interest on the trade market. He won't turn 26 until January and is a strong pass-catching threat, which could make him a key checkdown asset for a contender.

Which teams could show an interest in Etienne? A few contenders could chase after the Jaguars back, while one wild-card hopeful could also consider a forward-looking move to acquire him.

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Kansas City Chiefs

Entering Week 9, the Chiefs remain undefeated and have survived Isiah Pacheco's early-season absence due to a broken leg. Kareem Hunt has performed admirably in his stead, but Kansas City could use an upgrade to help shoulder the load alongside Hunt and eventually complement Pacheco during the postseason. Pacheco is eyeing a return in late November, but Kansas City can use another explosive option alongside Hunt before then.

Etienne would be a great option, as he would instantly be Kansas City's best receiver out of the backfield. He would not only help keep Pacheco and Hunt fresh, but he would also provide Patrick Mahomes with a reliable check-down option. That would help the Chiefs better compensate for the losses of Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown to long-term injuries.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys entered Week 8, averaging just 77.2 rushing yards per game, the fewest in the NFL. They turned to Dalvin Cook in an effort to reverse that trend but only saw another dip. In Week 9, Ezekiel Elliott did not travel with the team to Atlanta for "disciplinary reasons." Rico Dowdle saw his largest opportunity of the season against the Falcons. He posted solid numbers, but acquiring a back like Etienne would provide them with a bigger spark in the backfield.

Etienne is under contract through the 2025 NFL season, so his cost-controlled deal could appeal to Jerry Jones. The Cowboys owner has repeatedly said that his team couldn't afford to pay Derrick Henry the two-year, $16 million deal the Baltimore Ravens gave him during the offseason. Taking on the $6.14 million owed to Etienne in 2025 is less back-breaking, and he would provide the Cowboys with the true, No. 1 back they are currently lacking.

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Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens don't necessarily need another running back to pair with Derrick Henry, but adding some extra depth to their running back room wouldn't hurt. Henry isn't a natural pass-catcher, so adding another back with high-end receiving skills would be ideal.

Justice Hill has performed well as a pass-catching complement to Henry, but Etienne can provide a similar impact as a receiver while adding more pop between the tackles. That will better protect the Ravens if Henry gets injured and make them less reliant on Hill and Keaton Mitchell, who hasn't yet returned from the torn ACL he suffered in December.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers could make a wild-card run in 2024, but this move would be more about Etienne's long-term impact on the team. Los Angeles is using a run-heavy offense under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman's leadership, and that seems unlikely to change as long as they're partnered.

Etienne may not be the bruising back that the duo have typically preferred, but he has proven he can shoulder a full workload. That may make him an appealing target for Los Angeles for the rest of 2024 and beyond, especially since J.K. Dobbins is set to be a free agent in 2025.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Travis Etienne landing spots: Cowboys, Chiefs among best fits for RB