The New Orleans Saints have had a good run of signing players from the Bayou State to return and play for their childhood team.
On Monday, Mickey Loomis made a similar move that they are hoping will pay off when they signed Travis Etienne Jr. in free agency from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The deal has been reported to be for 4 years/$52 million, which is near market value for a top running back in the league.
Etienne, the Jennings native, has had quite the start to his young NFL career as he has eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in three of his first four seasons. In total, he has rushed for 3,798 and 25 touchdowns for an average of 4.2 yards per attempt.
So, what are the Saints adding to their offense?
Etienne has been known for his shifty ability out of the backfield, something Saints fans have come accustomed to with Alvin Kamara leading the charge since 2018. However, Kamara is over the age of 30 and most would argue past his prime, so New Orleans is looking for a youthful bout of energy in their run game. With this move, I think the Saints could easily hang on to AK if the money makes sense and play him as a gadget back/slot receiver while Etienne leads the backfield in terms of carries. Don’t forget, Devin Neal, Kendre Miller, and Audric Estime are also still in that room. Etienne is also a great receiving back in the backfield, as he’s racked up nearly 1500 yards in the passing game.
Etienne may be a young player still, but he’s very vocal in the way he handles his business. He’s never been in trouble while in the NFL, the Jaguars locker room had a ton of respect for him, and he’s also been well-respected throughout the league. It will be exciting to see how the leadership dynamic shifts in the locker room with Demario Davis and Alontae Taylor both on their way out and Cam Jordan’s departure could still be on the horizon.
Let’s welcome Travis Etienne back home to Louisiana as the Saints look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.