March 3, 2026, 11:17 a.m. CT
We’ve got a week to go until NFL free agency kicks off, but rumors are already swirling about who may go where. NFL teams, players’ agents, and reporters just spent a week in Indianapolis at the combine trading information. Some of what goes around is real and factual. There’s also a lot of scuttlebutt. Time will tell which is which, but that isn’t a great relief for New Orleans Saints fans eager to start their offseason.
It’s easy to see why after their 2025 season struggled to get going without a reliable run game. It isn’t enough to upgrade the offensive line. They need more talent at running back, too. Here’s something new from Matthew Berry for NBC Sports: “Among the places I heard for Travis Etienne to land include New Orleans and Kansas City.”
Travis Etienne Jr., a Louisiana native and the former 25th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, lost his rookie year to a Lisfranc injury after injuring his foot in a preseason game in New Orleans but recovered well. He has rushed for 1,000 or more yards in three of his four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s also proven himself on passing downs with 168 receptions for 1,338 yards and seven touchdown catches. He just turned 27 in January and could be the Alvin Kamara successor the team needs.
If the Saints are truly interested. They should be. Depressed running back salaries mean Etienne might not break the bank. If he’s willing to sign for, say, $7 million per year then New Orleans should definitely be in on him. A three-year deal at that rate would match what Tony Pollard got from the Tennessee Titans not too long ago. But the Saints aren’t the only team that needs more juice at running back. Offenses like the Kansas City Chiefs need a talent infusion, too, and it’s worth asking if New Orleans should enter a bidding war. Stay tuned.
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