The Cowboys have the worst running game in the NFL, but they could improve if they take a chance.
As they prepare for Week 5 on *Sunday Night Football* against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys rank last in the NFL for rushing. This is a fact, not an opinion. After four weeks, they’ve gained only 301 yards on the ground, which is the worst in the league.
With Tony Pollard now on the Tennessee Titans, many thought the Cowboys might sign Derrick Henry or J.K. Dobbins in the offseason. Instead, Jerry Jones brought back Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year deal and re-signed Rico Dowdle.
Jones claimed he couldn’t afford Henry, which is questionable, especially after Henry rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys in Week 3. Henry is also the league’s leading rusher after four weeks. But I digress.
Simply put, Zeke and Dowdle aren’t cutting it. They’ve combined for just 215 yards on 58 carries (3.7 yards per carry) over four games. They’ve also added 110 yards receiving, but that’s not impressive either.
It’s not that the Cowboys can’t score—they’re averaging 24.3 points per game, 12th in the league. But this is largely due to Dak Prescott throwing 37.3 times per game, second-most behind Geno Smith.
Dallas needs to improve its running game, and one way to do that is if the winless Jacksonville Jaguars make Travis Etienne available, which could happen.
Dallas Cowboys should consider trading for Travis Etienne.
In a Week 5 column on ESPN+, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler talked about the possibility of the Jaguars making Etienne available. Fowler said:
“Another loss or two could lead the 0-4 Jaguars to trade players. The roster isn’t bare. Teams may inquire about rookie-scale talent like linebacker Devin Lloyd, safety Andre Cisco, and running back Travis Etienne Jr. I’m not saying Jacksonville wants to trade marquee players, but we’ve seen this before.”
Fowler makes a strong case. Jacksonville may not want to trade Etienne, their 25th overall pick in 2021. But with their playoff hopes gone (only one 0-4 team has ever made it), they might consider it, and the Cowboys should jump at the opportunity.
Is Etienne having a great season? No. He’s rushed for 214 yards on 47 carries (4.6 yards per carry), tied for 11th among running backs with at least 40 carries. And he’s doing this behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines.
The Cowboys’ offensive line isn’t as dominant as before, but it’s still among the top 10, and Etienne could perform well with better support than he has in Jacksonville.
The question is what the Jaguars would want in return. A couple of mid-to-late round picks and maybe a player could do it. If the Raiders only want a second-rounder for Davante Adams, Jones likely wouldn’t need to give up more than a third-round pick and some additional compensation.
Then there’s Etienne’s contract. He’s still on his rookie deal, with a cap hit just over $4.1 million for 2024. With a midseason trade, Dallas wouldn’t owe him the full amount. His 2025 cap hit jumps to $6.143 million, as Jacksonville exercised his fifth-year option.
That ranks 12th among running backs for 2025 and is still less than what Jones would have paid Henry. Is Etienne as good as Henry? No. But he’s a solid running back stuck in a bad situation.
The Cowboys wouldn’t have to keep Etienne beyond 2025, when he becomes a free agent. But getting a year and a half from him to boost a team whose title window is closing could be worth it.
As for Jacksonville, they might prefer to get something for a player who might leave next year. The chances of this trade happening aren’t high, but it’s definitely something the Cowboys should consider.
