Amidst trade speculation linked to Travis Etienne's absence from the Jacksonville Jaguars' organized team activities (OTAs), head coach Liam Coen has firmly dismissed any notions of a potential trade involving the running back. In a statement reported by Demetrius Harvey of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union, Coen expressed his disbelief, saying, 'He's done a great job. I don't really understand some of the stuff I've seen out there. That's absolutely inaccurate.'

The trade rumors surrounding Etienne have emerged in the context of his performance decline during the previous season. Entering his fifth year in the NFL, Etienne endured the toughest season of his career in 2024, managing just 558 rushing yards and two touchdowns. This came after back-to-back seasons in which he surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. The Jaguars' decision to draft running backs Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh round further fueled speculation regarding Etienne's future with the team. Additionally, Jacksonville boasts another emerging talent in tank-bigsby, who had a more productive year compared to Etienne a season ago.

Despite the speculation, Coen has emphasized that the Jaguars remain committed to maximizing Etienne's contributions before he reaches free agency in the upcoming offseason. Etienne is set to play on the fifth year of his rookie contract, earning $6.143 million following the team's decision to exercise a club option. Given his challenging previous season, there is a strong incentive for Etienne to rebound and secure a lucrative contract in the future.