It appears the New Orleans Saints will have to find a new lead answer at the running back position for the foreseeable future.
Saints RB Travis Etienne is expected to have "time lost," head coach Kellen Moore said, due to the hamstring injury suffered during the Week 3 loss to the Raiders.
"We'll see ultimately what that timeline looks like. ... It's just an unfortunate thing," Moore said.
At this stage there is not official return timeline, but Moore's usage of the term "time lost" has consistently translated to multiple weeks missed and with an IR stint possible.
Etienne dealt with a hamstring issue in that same leg during the week of practice leading up to the game but was a full participant on Friday and didn't have a gameday designation heading into the weekend. The injury ended what was his most productive day as a member of the Saints with 13 carries for 54 yards. The injury was clear to see in real time, with Etienne pulling up and grabbing at his left leg midway through a run to the right sideline.
The Saints brought in Etienne this offseason on a 4-year, $48 million contract.
The news will mean an increased workload for RBs Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller, last year's lead tandem in Moore's offense, as well as rookie CJ Donaldson, who has primarily been used in short-yardage and third down roles. The Saints could also opt to elevate veteran Zamir White from the practice squad.
The Saints are also monitoring the status of LB Pete Werner (stinger), DE Anfernee Jennings (knee) and DE Carl Granderson (ankle), all of whom got banged up in Week 3. Jennings and Werner left early with their injuries, while Granderson stayed in the game but saw a reduced workload. The Saints are next scheduled to face the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, which means they'll have an extra day this week for players to recover.
Injury concerns are piling up quickly for the Saints, who are already without LB Jaylan Ford, WR Jordyn Tyson and LT Kelvin Banks, all of whom are on injured reserve and are expected to return this season. The Saints were also without CB Martin Emerson Jr. (shoulder) and WR Barion Brown (hamstring) for Week 3.
