Travis Etienne was slated to be one of the top running backs in the NFL heading into the 2021 season after the Jaguars selected the Clemson product with the 25th overall pick of that year’s draft in Cleveland.
The plan was simple down in Jacksonville: bring Etienne to form chemistry with a recent generational draft pick and quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who also played at Clemson alongside the running back.
However, as we all know, football is a demanding sport and even tougher business, and Etienne has now found out both sides the hard way. According to X user NFL Rumors, the Jaguars ball carrier is reportedly now a trade candidate.
Of course, there are not many places that the former first-round selection could realistically go. Not many teams look to trade for running backs due to their relatively short shelf life and injury susceptibility, something Etienne is all too familiar with.
Could Travis Etienne Be Traded Due To His Injury History In Jacksonville?
Unfortunately, the big injury note on Etienne’s career was the 2021 season, where he was knocked out of commission in week two of the pre-season and didn’t return for the whole year due to a significant Lisfranc ligament tear.
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The running back went through the 2022 and 2023 seasons relatively unscathed and put up 2,133 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. The Jags ball carrier hit the 1,000 rushing yard mark in both seasons.
However, this year, Etienne has not been so fortunate. After playing nearly four healthy games and rushing for over 200 yards, he has been hit with the injury bug again, suffering a shoulder injury in the Jags’ week four loss to the Texans.
Etienne may now be forced to sit out with a shoulder injury, and who knows how long it may take. The Jaguars may now just sit the 25-year-old back to conserve him if they decide to deal with the 2021 first-round selection.
