We have to see how the pieces fit first. The Dallas Cowboys have completely revamped their rushing attack from a year ago. Their running back room is headlined by three players who did not play for the team last season. Miles Sanders comes over from the Carolina Panthers. Javonte Williams arrived after spending time with the Denver Broncos. Jaydon Blue is a fifth-round pick out of Texas this year.
So when Cowboys insider Mike Fisher of Athlon Sports came across the idea of the Cowboys potentially looking to trade for another new running back, he was not having it. He apparently came across an article over on Bleacher Report linking Dallas to Travis Etienne of the Jacksonville Jaguars for a potential trade. Fisher asked a source within the Cowboys organization, and said this was false.
Fisher wrote about how Etienne has only had two good years out of Clemson, looking like a shell of himself last season while serving as Tank Bigsby's primary backup. Keep in mind that Etienne missed his entire rookie season with the Jaguars in 2021 due to injury. Besides, the whole point of the Cowboys acquiring the combination of Sanders, Williams and Blue is to see them play for Dallas first.
While I do not know how that trio will split carries, expect for Brian Schottenheimer to run the football.
Dallas Cowboys are not about to trade for Travis Etienne this offseason
Even though the Jaguars did pick up Etienne's fifth-year option, that was under a different regime, as well as him being former college teammate's with starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence. While new general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen may have a plan in place for Etienne, I struggle to see a team like the Cowboys making an offer for him this late into the offseason program.
However, there is a chance he could be dealt before the deadline. My thought is if neither Sanders or Williams pan out, Dallas may want another body to split carries with Blue, or some other combination. By that point in the season, we may know the fate of Dallas and Jacksonville's season. Again, a lot would have to happen for this theoretical trade to happen. I think Etienne plays out the year in Duval.
What is important to understand is that while the Cowboys' offense will be headlined by the passing game featuring features CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, as well as franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, running the football is Schottenheimer's bread and butter. He learned from his late father Marty the importance of ball control. This is his first, and maybe only chance, to be a head coach.
Overall, I have a hard time seeing Schottenheimer being so wishy-washy when it comes to one of the position groups he knows the best. He may be a former quarterback himself, but we all know how Martyball works. Run, run, pass, punt. Dallas will occasionally deviate from that formula, but with the ground game being such a focal point, why would the Cowboys want to add another mouth to feed?
Etienne could make his way to the Cowboys at some point, but I doubt it will be before Week 1 starts.