There has already been a flurry of moves made today as the free agency negotiation window opened earlier this afternoon.
One of the bigger moves made today was running back Travis Etienne to the New Orleans Saints. Here’s how the rising second-year quarterback, Tyler Shough, reacted to the signing.
Tyler Shough Welcomes Travis Etienne to the New Orleans Saints
Within the last hour, it was reported that the former Jacksonville Jaguar running back Etienne would be signing with the Saints. NFL Insider Jordan Schultz posted: “Travis Etienne to the #Saints is 4-years and $52M, per sources.”
Travis Etienne to the #Saints is 4-years and $52M, per sources. https://t.co/pAmUZfgmEX
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 9, 2026
Over the next four years, Etienne will make an average of $13 million a year to man the backfield right alongside veteran Alvin Kamara.
Over his career with the Jaguars, Etienne rushed 897 times for 3,798 rushing yards and scored 25 rushing touchdowns. As a receiver, he caught 168 receptions for 1,338 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
In PFSN’s NFL Runningback Impact Metric (RBi), Etienne’s best season was in 2022. That season, he ranked 11th out of all running backs with an impact score of 79.4 and a letter grade of C+.
He rushed for a career high of 1,125 yards, scored five rushing touchdowns, and caught 35 receptions for 316 receiving yards.
The move prompted a response from Shough, who posted: “WHO DAT let’s work!”
WHO DAT let’s work! 🖤⚜️ https://t.co/bN09SnkGfw
— Tyler Shough (@tylershough2) March 9, 2026
Shough, who will be in his second year at the start of the next NFL season, was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2025 NFL Draft from Louisville. He received a lot of criticism for his age (he turned 26 last September), but he showed that he has the potential to be a franchise quarterback.
In his rookie season, Shough completed 67.6% of passes for 2,384 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
In addition, he rushed 45 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns. In PFSN’s NFL Quarterback Impact Metric (QBi), Shough ranked 23rd out of all qualified quarterbacks with an impact score of 73.9 and a letter grade of C.
Despite the excitement of Etienne landing in the Saints, it could mean the end of a longtime.
Although Kamara and Etienne will be one of the best backfields in the league, the former is already 30 and played only 11 games in 2025. Additionally, 2026 is the last year of his current contract, and there is no guarantee the team will re-sign the veteran.
Regardless, the Saints ranked 26th in PFSN’s NFL Offensive Impact Metric (OFFi) last season, with an impact score of 68.0 and a letter grade of D+. The team is hopeful that this signing could help them contend in the weak NFC South.
