Saints Place RB Etienne on IR, Out at Least 4 Games — SkimNews
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- Travis Etienne Jr. was placed on injured reserve by the Saints, sidelining him for at least four games after a hamstring injury sustained in Week 3.
- Kellen Moore said Etienne's injury did not require surgery but told reporters "it'll take a little while," declining to commit to the four-week timeline.
- Kendre Miller and Alvin Kamara will take the majority of Etienne's snaps, with rookie CJ Donaldson working short-yardage situations, special teams, and pass protection.
- The Saints signed Ulysses Bentley IV to the practice squad on Thursday to add backfield depth.
- Etienne injured his hamstring in the Week 3 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, leaving in the third quarter after a 16-yard run and having dealt with hamstring issues the week prior.
- The Saints signed Etienne to a four-year, $52 million free-agent contract and reworked Kamara's deal in July, lowering his base salary while adding up to $8.5 million in incentives; Kamara missed Week 1 with a sprained MCL.
Why it matters: The Saints' backfield now rests on Alvin Kamara — who missed Week 1 with a sprained MCL and plays under a reworked contract with up to $8.5M in incentives — and Kendre Miller, with rookie CJ Donaldson and practice-squad addition Ulysses Bentley IV behind them. Moore's comment that "very few times this league is one running back going to haul the load" frames the committee approach the $52 million Etienne investment will sit behind for at least a month.
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