Saints’ Etienne is still popular with ex-Jags teammates, touts Tuten’s potential with Jacksonville

New Orleans running back Travis Etienne Jr. and Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence reunited warmly on the practice field at Saints headquarters after a joint practice on Thursday. Etienne and Lawrence, who had known each other as teammates since their time together at Clemson and with the Jaguars (2021), greeted one another and posed for photos.

The Saints signed Etienne to a four-year contract worth up to $52 million in March, luring him back to his native Louisiana. Etienne had been in high demand by his former Jaguars teammates, coaches, and staff, who were eager to say hello and wish him well. Jaguars coach Liam Coen expressed pride in Etienne's accomplishments and the bond he formed with many on the team.

Etienne has consistently been a top performer, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in three of his past four seasons. In 2025, he rushed for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns, along with 292 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.

Veteran Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten, who is considered one of the top candidates to become Jacksonville's starting running back in 2025, praised Etienne's positive influence. Tuten highlighted Etienne's dedication to helping younger teammates understand the playbook and adopting a professional approach to football. Tuten also bonded with Etienne over a shared interest in high-performance cars, particularly M-series BMWs.

Tuten sees a bright future for himself in Jacksonville now that Etienne has joined the Saints, acknowledging that the transition marks both a bittersweet goodbye and an exciting opportunity for himself.