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NFL trade deadline: Best fits for Travis Etienne, James Conner top RBs on market
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- NFL trade deadline: Best fits for Travis Etienne, James Conner top RBs on market
Football fans often dream about their teams making splashy acquisitions at the NFL trade deadline , and the 2024 event will be no different.
The league has already seen several big-name receivers change uniforms in Davante Adams , Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins . Could that same phenomenon occur at the running back position?
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That doesn't seem likely. Running back is one of the deepest positions in the NFL. Many of the NFL's top teams are already two-deep at the position and would be able to survive an injury to their top back with ease.
Still, there are a handful of potential difference-making backs and depth options who could be available at the trade deadline. That will be enough for NFL teams to kick the tires on these options, especially those who have shown an ability to shoulder a three-down workload.
There are only a few potential NFL contenders that really need a running back, and some of them just need depth at the position. With that in mind, here's a look at some of the best fits for running backs that could be available on the trade market, starting with a former first-round pick at the position.
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Oct 6, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Travis Etienne Jr.
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Etienne has struggled to produce for the Jacksonville Jaguars amid nagging injuries and has already started ceding snaps to Tank Bigsby , who is averaging an impressive 6.2 yards per carry this season. Still, Etienne's athletic pedigree and receiving skills should make him an attractive target for a contender as a potent part of a quality running back duo.
The Chiefs have admirably filled in for the injured Isiah Pacheco to stay undefeated early in the 2024 NFL season. Kareem Hunt has performed well as the team's lead back, but Kansas City could still use an upgrade to help shoulder the load with Hunt and, eventually, Pacheco.
Etienne would fit the bill and would instantly become the Chiefs' best receiver out of the backfield. Adding a checkdown pass-catcher like that would potentially help Patrick Mahomes to overcome the losses of Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown to long-term injuries.
James Conner
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The Arizona Cardinals are making strides in Jonathan Gannon's second season with the team, but they aren't yet a contender. Conner is a 29-year-old running back, so it isn't clear whether he fits the team's timeline for contention despite his output of 504 rushing yards at 4.6 yards per carry through seven games.
Conner would be an ideal fit for Dallas as an upgrade over the underwhelming duo of Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott . That would take some playmaking pressure off Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb and open things up for the Cowboys' passing game.
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Kyren Williams
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To be clear, we're not saying that the Cowboys should trade for both Williams and Conner; it's just that Dallas would be the best fit for each back.
Consider getting Williams a dream scenario for Dallas fans. If the Los Angeles Rams fall far enough out of contention, perhaps they will consider offloading the reasonably priced Williams while allowing 2024 third-round pick Blake Corum to prove himself as their top runner.
Williams would give the Cowboys a true, three-down threat at running back. His bruising ability could even remind some of what Elliott accomplished during his younger days in Dallas.
Still, this scenario is less likely than the team potentially acquiring Conner. The Rams could round into a wild-card team as Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua get healthy, so that may incentivize them to keep Williams. Furthermore, Jerry Jones has repeatedly discussed Dallas' inability pay Derrick Henry during the offseason , so it isn't clear whether he'd be willing to trade for Williams, who is likely due a sizable extension during the 2025 offseason.
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Even so, Dallas should be on the shortlist of teams calling the Rams if Williams comes available.
Devin Singletary
Who would say no to this reunion? The Texans replaced Singletary with Joe Mixon , who is playing at a high level this season, but he has missed time because of an injured ankle. Backup Dameon Pierce has dealt with hamstring injuries, so Singletary could offer the Texans a proven insurance policy in case either gets hurt.
Besides, Pierce averaged just 2.9 yards per carry for the Texans in 2023. Do they really want to trust him as the team's top between-the-tackles runner if Mixon goes down again?
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Singletary shouldn't be too hard to land. He performed well for the New York Giants early in the season but has started to lose touches to fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. That trend is likely to continue, so the Giants may be willing to part with the 27-year-old on the cheap. That could interest the Texans enough to continue adding weapons around C.J. Stroud .
Chuba Hubbard
File this away as a potential forward-looking move. Jim Harbaugh wants the Chargers to be a run-first team, and that will require having as many capable backs as possible at his disposal. Hubbard is averaging 5.2 yards per carry for a struggling Carolina Panthers team, so he could be the type of long-term lead back that Harbaugh is hoping to find.
Two factors complicate this deal. First, Hubbard is a free agent after the 2024 NFL season. The Chargers may prefer to wait for him, in that case. Second is that J.K. Dobbins , another pending free agent, has performed quite well in Los Angeles ' offense. Harbaugh and Co. may prefer to ride him out this season and wait until the offseason to assess their options at the position.
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Still, Hubbard shouldn't cost too much as a running back rental, so the Chargers may be willing to pay the price to evaluate what he can do in the Los Angeles offense. There also remains an outside chance that the Chargers can challenge for a playoff spot, and Hubbard would provide them some desperately needed insurance behind the oft-injured Dobbins.
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Zack Moss
The Ravens don't necessarily need a running back with Derrick Henry currently on pace to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing yards record. That said, if Henry got hurt, the team would lack the bruiser needed to make their offense the dominant threat it has been to start the 2024 season.
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Moss would be a low-cost acquisition. The Cincinnati Bengals ' offseason signing has lost playing time to the more explosive Chase Brown in recent weeks while averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. Nonetheless, Moss' 5-10, 215-pound frame and wealth of NFL experience would appeal to the Ravens, who don't have much size and power behind Henry. Consider Moss a solid, albeit unspectacular, insurance option.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL trade deadline: Best fits for Travis Etienne, James Conner, more
