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Running back Travis Etienne Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Kansas City Chiefs have stumbled out to a 1-2 start this season while the offense has sputtered, getting little production from the backfield and relying on quarterback Patrick Mahomes to do it all.

While the team is waiting for the return of two top receivers to boost the passing game, they could also turn to the trade block to find help with their rushing attack and alleviate some of the pressure on their MVP quarterback. As the NFL trade deadline approaches, there could be a big target available in the form of a former first-round pick.

Chiefs Could Target Travis Etienne Jr.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano broke down a list of the players most likely to hit the trade block, suggesting the Jacksonville Jaguars might be willing to part ways with Travis Etienne Jr. While Etienne is still at the top of the depth chart in Jacksonville after the team traded Tank Bigsby, Graziano suggested the Jaguars may be willing to move him to clear the way for the future.

“The Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round of this year’s draft and then took passing-down back LeQuint Allen Jr. in the seventh,” Graziano noted. “Those two probably form the future of the team’s backfield; Jacksonville already traded Tank Bigsby to the Eagles. If the Jaguars fall out of contention and want to get a longer look at their rookies, Etienne and his $6.143 million salary would probably be pretty easy to move.”

Etienne is playing out his fifth-year option and is not signed beyond 2025, making him a potential trade deadline target. The running back could come at a high price, as he ranks among the league’s top rushers through three weeks with 270 yards and one touchdown. Though he has seen a dip in production last year, the 2021 first-round pick still has 2,961 career rushing yards with 19 career touchdowns.

The running game remains one of the biggest areas of need for the Chiefs. Mahomes leads the team with 125 yards and two touchdowns on the ground while the lead running backs — Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt — are both averaging less than four yards per carry.

Chiefs Not Throwing in the Towel

Graziano noted that the Chiefs “won’t be throwing in the towel at any point” despite their 1-2 start, likely using the trade deadline to add firepower for a playoff push.

“The Chiefs haven’t looked good, but they still have Andy Reid as their coach and Patrick Mahomes as their quarterback, and they tend to be active at the trade deadline,” Graziano wrote. “So we can feel pretty confident they’ll be looking to add, whether it’s at running back, at wide receiver or somewhere on the defense.”

Whether they seek a trade or not, the Chiefs do have some help on the way. Second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy is getting closer to a return after suffering a shoulder injury in the season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Top receiver Rashee Rice also has three games left on his suspension and will rejoin the team in Week 7.

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty

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