Saints Place Travis 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 suffered in the Week 3 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
- Kellen Moore said the injury did not require surgery but declined to guarantee a four-week return, telling reporters "it'll take a little while" and the team will "just kind of see how this thing progresses."
- Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller are expected to handle the majority of Etienne's snaps, with rookie CJ Donaldson working in short-yardage, special teams, and pass protection roles.
- Ulysses Bentley IV was signed to the Saints' practice squad Thursday to add depth during Etienne's absence.
- The Saints signed Etienne to a four-year, $52 million contract in free agency, while Alvin Kamara agreed to a reworked deal in July that lowered his base salary but added up to $8.5 million in incentives.
- Kamara was inactive in Week 1 as he recovered from a sprained MCL sustained in training camp, making this the second time this season a Saints running back has been sidelined by injury.
Why it matters: The Saints paid Travis Etienne Jr. $52 million in free agency to be a featured back, and now they're forced to lean on a 30-year-old Kamara coming off an MCL sprain and a still-developing Kendre Miller for at least a month. With Etienne's timeline uncertain beyond the initial four games, New Orleans' ground game — already banged up in Week 1 — faces a prolonged test of its depth chart.
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