The Arizona Cardinals are not having a fun time right now.
The team started off hot in 2025, winning the first two games against the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. Since then, the team has rattled off three losses in a row, and seemingly hit rock bottom in Week 5 with a terrible loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The Cardinals held a 21-3 lead over the Titans at one point, but after several mindboggling mistakes, the Titans ended up winning 22-21. One of the plays that received a ton of criticism was when running back Emari Demercado dropped the ball before crossing the goal line, giving the Titans the ball and shifting momentum.
Demercado, Michael Carter, and Bam Knight have all been receiving carries since starting running back James Conner went down for the season in Week 3. None of that trio have done much to stand out though, and Kyler Murray is the team’s leading rusher this season.
As a result, it’s possible the Cardinals scour the trade market for a proven running back. Pro Football & Sports Network’s Josh Weil recently suggested the Cardinals approach the Jacksonville Jaguars about Travis Etienne.
In Weil’s trade, the deal would look like this:
- Cardinals get: RB Travis Etienne
- Jaguars get: RB Michael Carter, 2026 fourth-round pick
“With James Connor and Trey Benson sidelined, this could be a decisive move for Etienne to boost his value as a free agent this offseason or even become the answer at running back for the Cardinals. Although Connor is reliable with the ball in his hands, part of a player’s reliability is availability,” Weil wrote.
As Weil mentioned, Etienne could not only boost his value as he prepares to enter free agency, but could potentially be a long-term answer for the Cardinals.
So far in 2025, Etienne has rushed 77 times for 443 yards and two touchdowns. The Clemson product has eclipsed the 100-yard mark twice already and has also caught nine passes for 41 yards and a score.
That would be welcomed production in Arizona, considering the team has yet to have a rusher surpass the 100-yard mark in a game this year.
However, it seems unlikely that the Jaguars would do this. After all, the team just knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs to improve to 4-1, so trading away a key piece of the offense wouldn’t make much sense.
Etienne is set to be a free agent after this season, and the team does have rookie Bhayshul Tuten waiting in the wings, so it wouldn’t be the craziest trade. The Cardinals would almost certainly be willing to push the deal through if offered.
