Getty EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 18: CJ Donaldson #43 of the New Orleans Saints reacts after a play against the New York Giants during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium on October 18, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saints were already in a complicated spot with their RB depth chart, but it may have gotten more confusing on Friday.
Ahead of the Saints’ Sunday Week 9 game against the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans ruled out running back CJ Donaldson due to injury.
New Orleans will now be short another running back, with Travis Etienne still on IR with his hamstring issue.
With the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 10 — and Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller both involved in trade rumors — everything about this Donaldson reality makes things just a bit more confusing.
What Saints Do Without CJ Donaldson
GettyEAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 18: CJ Donaldson #43 of the New Orleans Saints in action against Jevon Holland #8 of the New York Giants during their game at MetLife Stadium on October 18, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The first question here is the simplest to answer: Who will replace Donaldson? Audric Estime.
The Saints brought back Estime this week after the Browns parted with him.
“He can acclimate rather quickly into our system, having known it and been around it for enough time.”
#Saints HC Kellen Moore on what RB Audric Estime can provide, with RB CJ Donaldson ruled out. https://t.co/psjCaHxK4d
— NOF (@nofnetwork) November 6, 2026
Estime spent the back half of the 2025 season with the Saints, then was with New Orleans in the preseason.
The Saints waived Estime on Sept. 22 with an injury settlement, but he quickly latched on with the Vikings. When the Vikings waived Estime two weeks later, the Browns claimed him.
Estime actually played one game for the Browns this season when injuries piled up, and he had nine carries for 19 yards and a touchdown.
Now, Cleveland is healthier and Estime was on the move again, back to New Orleans, which turns out to be important pretty much right away.
Saints Impact on Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller Trade Rumors
GettyPARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 25: Alvin Kamara of New Orleans Saints looks on during the warm up before the NFL game between Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints at Stade de France on October 25, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)
The Saints are 2-5, and if they lose Sunday to drop to 2-6, they’ll certainly be sellers by Tuesday’s trade deadline.
And the reality of a 2-6 football team, or even a mediocre 3-5 football team, is that an injury like Donaldson’s shouldn’t have a huge impact on their plans.
If the Saints already planned to trade Kamara and/or Miller in the days ahead, that will likely remain their plan.
Donaldson’s injury would limit the depth chart in the short term with Etienne still out, but unless the Saints build momentum on Sunday toward genuine belief in chasing a division title in the NFC South, then the undrafted rookie’s ailment shouldn’t factor into the long-term picture of what other RB trades could accomplish.
Billy Heyen Billy Heyen is a Heavy contributor with focus on the NFL and MLB. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who spent his senior year following Jim Boeheim's basketball team around the country. His reporting work has also included extensive work for The Sporting News, the Sandusky Register and Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle. Adventures in sports writing have also led to in-person coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Guardians, U.S. men's national soccer team and a variety of minor league baseball stories. More about Billy Heyen