The New Orleans Saints have landed a big-name running back, and it also happens to be a homecoming.
Former Jaguars standout and a native of Jennings, Louisiana, Travis Etienne has agreed to terms to join the Saints as a free agent, according to reports. The deal looks to be a steep one at 4 years, $52 million. The deal was agreed to in the early hours of the NFL's "legal tampering" period. The contract can't become official until the start of the new league year on March 11.
The signing addresses a clear need for the Saints, with last year's offense averaging 3.7 yards per carry on the ground, a figure good for 31st in the league. The Saints also had just five rushes of 20-plus yards, the third fewest in the league, with only one of those coming from the RB position.
Eitenne, meanwhile, is coming off a resurgent season with the Jaguars after logging career lows in 2024. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry while rolling up 1,107 yards and 7 rushing TDs in Jacksonville, while adding another 36 catches for 292 yards and six touchdowns. He's cleared the 1,000-yard mark in three of his four NFL seasons since being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Etienne also has familiarity with the Superdome of late, appearing there as an NFL player and also in the College Football Playoff title game in 2020 for Clemson against the LSU Tigers.
The Saints will have some interesting decisions to make at the running back position this offseason. Alvin Kamara is entering the final year of his deal and i coming off his least productive season since the Saints drafted him in 2017. They'll also have former third round pick Kendre Miller entering the final year of his deal, with the former TCU standout unable to appear in more than eight games in any season due to repeated injuries. This past season was cut short due to an ACL tear.
The team also has Audric Estime and former 6th round pick Devin Neal under contract, both of whom took on big roles late in the year with Kamara down due to injury.
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The Etienne move was the biggest splash of the early free agency window for New Orleans, though the team did also sign punter Ryan Wright re-signed DT John Ridgeway. The other bombshell of Monday is the departure of LB Demario Davis, who agreed to a lucrative contract to join the New York Jets for the third time in his career.
The Saints have a few other big-name players testing the free agent market in CB Alontae Taylor and DE Cam Jordan.