New Orleans running back Travis Etienne Jr, according to Yahoo Sports. returned to practice Wednesday in his quest to recover from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since Week 3.
“I feel like I’m not much help when I’m on the sidelines in my street clothes, so hopefully they’ll let me suit up, and I’ll go out there and just be a valuable asset to the team,” Etienne said regarding his desire to get back on the field.
The Saints signed Etienne to a four-year, $48 million contract in free agency with a $24MM guarantee at signing. Only Kenneth Walker fared better among free agent running backs during the offseason, and the $12MM-per-year player’s guarantee at signing approached the figure the Chiefs committed to Walker.
New Orleans had beaten out an aggressive push from the Denver Broncos, a team believed to be shocked that the five-year veteran chose New Orleans. The Clemson product is 27 years old and bounced back from a down 2024 campaign, finishing the previous season with 1,399 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns. After splitting time with Tank Bigsby in 2024, Etienne recovered at a good time and parlayed that resurgence into his lucrative contract.
New Orleans has three weeks to activate the $12MM-per-year back from injured reserve. He was a limited practice participant on Wednesday.
Etienne played in the team’s first three games of the season, rushing for 128 yards on 30 carries and catching 11 passes for 51 yards, giving him 179 scrimmage yards without a touchdown. In his absence, the Saints’ ground game has struggled and ranks 26th in rushing this season.
The team turned to waiver claim Audric Estime—who was cut by the Browns last week and is now in his second stint with New Orleans—to serve as the lead back in a narrow 23-22 overtime victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 9.
Estime rushed for 72 yards on 15 carries during that win, while Alvin Kamara handled six totes and caught three passes. Kamara carries a strong claim as the greatest running back in franchise history, but he is now 31 years old and past his peak.