Back in 2017, tallied his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaign for the , leading a potent ground attack that included Offensive Rookie of the Year .
That was the last time the Saints had a 1,000-yard rusher. They are one of three teams tied for the longest active drought in the NFL when it comes to a player crossing that statistical milestone, joined by the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers.
Maybe that changes this year.
The Saints ponied up this offseason to sign Louisiana native Travis Etienne to be their new lead back. Etienne arrived as one of eight running backs to have at least three 1,000-yard rushing seasons in the last four years.
This is about more than nice, round numbers. New Orleans didn’t sign Etienne to snap a dry spell but rather to add some juice to a running game that has lacked it for several years now. What goes on behind Etienne — particularly concerning the long-running Kamara drama — is anyone’s guess, but there’s no denying who is at the top of the pecking order going into the 2026 season.
Depth chart (name, height, weight, experience)
Travis Etienne, 5-foot-10, 215 pounds, 6 years
Alvin Kamara, 5-10, 215, 10
Devin Neal, 5-11, 213, 2
Audric Estimé, 5-11, 227, 3
Kendre Miller, 6-0, 220, 4
Ty Chandler, 5-11, 205, 5
C.J. Donaldson, 6-1, 230, R
Number to know: 7
That is how many runs of 20 or more yards Etienne tallied last year, a figure that included touchdown runs of 71 and 45 yards and does not include a 45-yard touchdown catch.
Why does that matter? Because it’s one fewer run of 20 or more yards than every Saints running back has managed — in the last four seasons combined.
That is correct. From 2022-25, Saints running backs have tallied just eight runs of 20 or more yards. New Orleans had been leaning on quarterback Taysom Hill for its explosive plays in the run game (during that span, Hill accounted for nine such runs, while other quarterbacks and receivers accounted for six). Kamara has not hit a big chunk since November 2024.
It’s a big part of why New Orleans wanted to get Etienne, whose proven home-run ability should add another layer to its offense.
The lowdown
Why does a team that has not made the playoffs for five years go out and make a splashy free agent signing at running back, of all places? Just check out the team’s recent history during its playoff drought.
Here are the Saints' recent NFL rushing rankings (yards per game/yards per carry).
2025: 28/31
2024: 14/14
2023: 21/31
2022: 19/22
2021: 15/28
Only once in the last five seasons have the Saints finished in the top half of the league in both rushing yards per game and yards per carry — Klint Kubiak’s lone season — and they’ve finished as one of the NFL’s four worst teams in yards per carry three times in that span.
Simply put, running the football has been a problem for too long, which explains why the team invested so heavily in fixing it this offseason by signing Etienne and offensive guard David Edwards.
Now take a look at some of head coach Kellen Moore’s best offenses during his time as a play-caller. He’s called the offensive plays for four teams that finished the season as a top-10 scoring offense, and each of those teams featured a top-10 rushing offense. Whether it was Saquon Barkley or the 1-2 punch of Zeke Elliott and Tony Pollard, a strong run game has served as the foundation of a healthy Moore offense.
If Etienne can carry over his successes from his time in Jacksonville — or if the Saints can coax even more out of him as a lead back — it should allow the entire offense to flourish.
Potential camp battle
This position group has the potential to be the most volatile during training camp. Before New Orleans can think about slotting players into tidy slots on the depth chart, it is going to have to answer some questions.
And that big, blinking light above Kamara’s head is the first one that needs to be addressed.
Will Kamara be on the roster? The Saints have had about a dozen opportunities to give a straightforward answer regarding the status of one of the best playmakers in franchise history, and they’ve declined every single time. That in itself should give people pause when writing Kamara’s name on the roster in ink.
He’s not the only one that comes with some questions, though. Former third-round pick Kendre Miller may not be ready to contribute for Week 1, as he is still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered last October. If he doesn’t start the season on the physically unable to perform list, can the Saints afford to save a roster spot for a player who has never appeared in more than eight games in a season?
Then there are players such as Devin Neal and Audric Estimé, who both showed flashes late last year after Kamara’s injury but are both still relatively unproven, and Ty Chandler, whose return ability may give him an inside track for a spot.