Browns Connected to Intriguing Trade for Former First-Round Pick

The Cleveland Browns have largely revamped their backfield this offseason, parting ways with long-time star Nick Chubb and selecting both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson in the NFL Draft.

The problem is that Judkins' status for the season opener is up in the air due to some alleged off-the-field trouble, and outside of Jerome Ford, the Browns don't really have any proven depth at the running back position.

As a result, Cleveland is reportedly on the hunt for a running back trade, and Ryan Heckman of Dawg Pound Daily has linked the Browns to what he calls a "no-brainer" trade before Week 1.

In Heckman's proposal, Cleveland would send a sixth-round draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for former first-round pick Travis Etienne.

Browns named trade fit for Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) finds a lane during the first quarter of an NFL preseason matchup at EverBank Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"To be truthful, the Browns should check in on multiple Jaguars running backs. But, Travis Etienne makes the most logical sense to start with," Heckman wrote. "He is entering the last year of his contract and, although he brings the speed and agility that [Liam] Coen likes along with [Bhayshul] Tuten, Etienne wasn't drafted by this coaching staff. Therefore, the signs of Etienne's impending divorce with the Jaguars continue to pop up."

Etienne was viewed as a potential trade candidate at the deadline last season, but the Jaguars opted to hold onto him. He rushed for 558 yards and a couple of touchdowns while averaging 3.7 yards per carry in 15 games last year, also catching 39 passes for 254 yards.

That followed back-to-back campaigns in which Etienne racked up over 1,000 yards in 2022 and 2023, with his best season coming in the former year when he posted a robust 5.1 yards per attempt.

The 26-year-old missed his entire rookie campaign in 2021 due to injury but appeared to be on the verge of establishing himself as one of the league's top halfbacks in 2022. However, he obviously has fallen off considerably since then and is now entering the final year of his contract.

Maybe a change of scenery would do Etienne some good, and depending on how things shake out with Judkins, he could ultimately earn some significant playing time with the Browns in 2025.