After five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, running back Travis Etienne has officially left the station, reportedly set to sign with the New Orleans Saints in free agency, according to multiple reports.
According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, Etienne will sign a four-year deal worth $52 million.
Etienne hails from Jennings (La.), about a two-three hour drive to New Orleans.
Jacksonville was not expected to be in the running to retain the former 2021 first-round pick after he finished last season as one of the top players on the team.
Etienne was originally drafted as the second, first-round pick after the team selected his college teammate, quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first-overall pick in 2021. The two spent eight years together as teammates, dating back to 2018 with Clemson.
Etienne was a mainstay in Jacksonville over the last four seasons. He missed his rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury that sidelined him during the preseason and his entire rookie year.
In his second season with Jacksonville, Etienne became a full-time starter with James Robinson offloaded in the middle of the year. Etienne totaled 1,125 yards and five touchdowns in 2022, adding 35 catches and 316 yards through the air.
In his career, Etienne has totaled 3,798 rushing yards (4.2 yards per carry) and 25 rushing touchdowns. He’s added 168 catches for 1,338 yards and seven touchdowns. Last season, Etienne led the team in touchdown receptions with six, including tallying three in one game (Week 15 vs. New York Jets).
Etienne’s departure clears the way for rising second-year back Bhayshul Tuten to take more of the team’s workload on the ground. The Jaguars also got good work out of seventh-round rookie LeQuint Allen last season. Tuten was drafted in the fourth round of last year’s draft.
Tuten totaled 307 rushing yards on 83 carries to go along with five rushing touchdowns. Allen operated as the team’s third-down pass-blocking back for most of the season, giving the team a rare gem rookie in that role. The Jaguars are likely to add more talent at the position between now and the start of the season.
Jacksonville recently re-signed RB DeeJay Dallas.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars’ Travis Etienne reportedly set to sign with the Saints
Reporting by Demetrius Harvey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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