Saints Get Major Travis Etienne Jr News Before Panthers Showdown

The upcoming NFC South showdown between the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome promises to be an explosive affair. Both teams' defenses have been struggling, allowing a significant number of points per game—27.4 for the Panthers and 27.0 for the Saints. This will be the first meeting between the rivals this season, and with all four NFC South teams currently having just three wins each, the division remains wide open.

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Saints have plans to activate running back Travis Etienne Jr. from injury, which could provide the team with a valuable offensive weapon for Sunday's game. Etienne signed a substantial four-year, $52 million deal with the Saints in March after becoming an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

Prior to his stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Etienne had spent his first four NFL seasons with the Jaguars, where he delivered impressive statistics in his best season, with 1,107 rushing yards, 292 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns. However, he opted to join the Saints as they reconstructed their roster, seeking a top-tier running back.

Etienne suffered a hamstring injury just three games into the current season and was placed on injured reserve shortly thereafter. He has missed the last five games, during which the Saints went 2-3. In his first three games this season, Etienne had rushed for 128 yards on 30 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per carry, and added 51 receiving yards on 11 catches, averaging 4.6 yards per catch.

Unfortunately, he never fully recovered before his injury, and his return is crucial for the Saints' offensive strategy. Having Etienne healthy should bolster the Saints' offensive firepower as they aim to take control of the NFC South.