Travis Etienne Jr.’s $52M Saints Deal Came After Chiefs, Broncos Both Pursued RB in Free Agency

The New Orleans Saints are reshaping their backfield as a new offensive era begins under head coach Kellen Moore. The franchise turned to Travis Etienne Jr. in free agency, as it transitions away from nearly a decade of building around running back Alvin Kamara. Before Etienne chose New Orleans, however, multiple teams around the league explored signing the veteran running back.

Chiefs and Broncos Showed Interest Before Saints Landed Travis Etienne

Etienne revealed that the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos both showed interest during free agency. According to NFL reporter Jeff Nowak, that interest faded once the Saints entered the picture.

“Travis Etienne told me the Chiefs and Broncos were two teams showing interest in free agency,” Nowak wrote on X. “But once the Saints entered the picture, the decision became fairly simple.”

Etienne ultimately agreed to a four-year contract worth $52 million, a deal that signals New Orleans’ commitment to refreshing its ground game. The move represents a major change for the Saints’ offense. Kamara served as the focal point of the backfield for years, providing consistent production as both a runner and receiver.

Travis Etienne told me the Chiefs and Broncos were two teams showing interest in free agency, but once the Saints entered the picture the decision became fairly simple. @wwlamfm

— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) March 13, 2026

His skill set defined the Saints’ offense for much of the last decade. As his workload and production have begun to decline, New Orleans appears ready to hand the rushing responsibilities to a younger and more explosive option.

Etienne arrives after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He entered the league alongside quarterback Trevor Lawrence when both players were selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Their partnership began years earlier at Clemson, where they formed one of college football’s most productive offensive duos.

Etienne’s final stretch in Jacksonville told two very different stories. He managed just 558 rushing yards at 3.7 yards per carry in 2024, as the Jaguars experimented with their backfield. In 2025, Etienne rushed for 1,107 yards with 7 touchdowns and added 6 receiving scores, giving him three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his career. He ranked 25th in PFSN’s Running Back Impact Metric.

He rebuilt his value heading into free agency. Teams searching for explosive backfield production viewed Etienne as an answer. He is a modern three-down back with playmaking skills.

Kansas City and Denver both explored adding Etienne during free agency. New Orleans closed the deal and brought the Louisiana native home to play for his home-state team.