The New Orleans Saints made a huge splash this offseason, dropping a whopping $48 million, with $28 million guaranteed, to snatch former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. Their mission? Surround second-year quarterback Tyler Shough with absolute talent. They brought in guys like Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson, drafted Jordyn Tyson (though he’s out for two months, rough break), and then went all in on Etienne. But holy moly, just two games into the season, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay thinks they might already be regretting that massive deal.
Etienne’s Early Struggles Are Loud
Look, this guy was a beast in Jacksonville last season. Etienne put up 1,107 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 260 carries. He was a real dual-threat, too, snagging 36 receptions on 52 targets for 292 yards and six more touchdowns. That’s a serious stat line! But now in New Orleans, it’s just not clicking. Through two games, he’s only got 17 carries for a measly 71 yards. And in the passing game? Nine receptions on 11 targets for just 38 yards. Yikes. His 4.2 yards per touch is the lowest of his entire career, a noticeable drop from the 4.7 he averaged last year. We’re talking about a significant drop in production for a guy they just shelled out big money for. That’s a problem.
$48 Million for a Part-Time Gig?
It’s not just the efficiency that’s alarming. You sign a running back for $48 million, with $28 million guaranteed, you expect him to be *the guy*, right? But Etienne’s snap count through two weeks is only 57%. What? He’s splitting touches with Alvin Kamara, CJ Donaldson, and Keandre Miller. You don’t pay an upper-echelon back that kind of cash to be part of a committee, especially not this early in the season. Alex Kay from Bleacher Report hit it right on the head, saying the Saints “need far better returns in the coming weeks before this contract winds up being a significant albatross on their books.” It’s only two weeks in, so yeah, it’s too early to fully hit the panic button. But man, the early signs are not good, especially with how much Kamara is still factoring into the backfield.
This situation is definitely one to keep an eye on. If Etienne can’t pick it up fast, that $48 million deal is going to feel like an anchor, and things could get real ugly down in the Bayou.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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