The Jacksonville Jaguars are officially letting go of general manager Trent Baalke after firing him which could spark a Travis Etienne trade. According to multiple reports, after firing Doug Pederson, the Jaguars are officially firing their GM in a potential move to completely restart from square one. Jacksonville had one of the worst seasons this past 2024 campaign under Baalke despite him helping the organization select quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. However, all things must come to an end, so it shouldn’t be surprising if the Jaguars “clean house” with several offensive weapons, including entertaining an Etienne trade after being the subject of those rumors earlier this season.
Originally selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the former Clemson product came into the team after the Jalen Ramsey trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Rams. Etienne was happy to reunite with Lawrence but a brutal season-ending injury stopped his rookie progression and finally made his debut in 2022. He had one of the best campaigns during that season, recording 220 carries for 1,125 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to go along with 35 receptions for 316 receiving yards. However, the running back became an afterthought the following two seasons since the emergence of Tank Bigsby.
It should be clear that Etienne might not be worth the salary cap if he isn’t getting the reps apart of the Jaguars and the latest general manager firing should put the icing on the cake. Etienne might not earn a starting role but one to help a contender like the Chargers, Chiefs next season.
Latest GM Trent Baalke Firing Will Likely Ignite a Travis Etienne Trade
Helping Harbaugh’s Ground Game
Nobody in the league loves running the football more than head coach Jim Harbaugh, but with J.K. Dobbins heading to the free agent market, the Chargers will need to find a replacement. Dobbins might not be the long-term fixture since coming back to revive his career but that probably won’t happen since it’s been nothing but average. Gus Edwards is entering the final year of his contract with the team so perhaps they might prepare to draft a new running back earlier than usual. Last offseason, the Chargers didn’t retain Austin Ekeler but he’s succeeding in Washington’s offense so they need a new speedster who is capable of staying healthy and is looking for a huge role.
Travis Etienne might be the man who could fit into this offense as the running back has yet to play at his peak. He’s still in his prime despite the injuries he’s dealt with in the past. Etienne might not get more than 1,000 rushing yards but he could be useful to get some easy yardage to help boost Justin Herbert’s offense. Dobbins was fast but Etienne is the better upgrade in this situation.
The New Sonic and Knuckles?
The Kansas City Chiefs offense had to embrace playing the majority of the 2024 campaign with several weapons. One of them was running back Isiah Pacheco but still, they found a way to win ball games with veteran Kareem Hunt. However, Hunt is heading to free agency this offseason and it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs will bring him back considering Pacheco is around. The Chiefs don’t need a superstar but someone who could keep Pacheco fresh for the postseason.
The Detroit Lions have their own unique offensive running system with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Perhaps, Pacheco and Travis Etienne could form their duo in Kansas City as the new speedsters could be like a dream come true for the offense.
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