Saints Left Broncos ‘Shocked’ After Travis Etienne Deal

The New Orleans Saints entered the offseason needing to add some more firepower to the running back room and did just that by going out and signing Travis Etienne Jr. after he spent the first four seasons of his National Football League career over with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

New Orleans was linked to Etienne ahead of time in rumors and speculation, but that never guarantees that a move is actually going to get done. On paper, the Saints looked like a team that would make sense for Etienne. He was one of the top running backs heading to free agency and the Saints needed a boost. But, of course, the Saints aren't the only team that needed some running back help.

The Denver Broncos are another team that was connected to running backs left and right, including Etienne. Also, the Broncos were heavily connected to Breece Hall before the New York Jets put the franchise tag on him. The Broncos were surveying the market. With the first wave of free agency behind us, reports have surfaced painting a picture and giving a behind-the-scenes look at some of the deals that did happen, and some that didn't. The Athletic's Mike Sando shared a column on Thursday featuring executives around the league "unfiltered" on free agency.

The Saints made a great move bringing in Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) fakes the hands off to running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One thing that stood out is the fact that an executive told Sando that the Broncos actually were "shocked" that they didn't land Etienne.

"The 2025 Broncos became the 32nd team in NFL history to win exactly 14 games in a season," Sando wrote. "Their point differential (+90) ranked last among the 32, an indication that regression was coming. Acquiring receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami for a package including a first-round pick (No. 30) should help.

“'You might fight regression for a year or two with a move like that,' an exec said. Another exec said the Broncos thought they were going to sign former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, only to have the Saints land him instead. 'They were shocked,' this exec said. Denver later re-signed running back J.K. Dobbins."

So, the Saints didn't just solve their running back problem with one of the best available. But they also threw some cold water on the Broncos' — and former head coach Sean Payton's — plans for the offseason. That's a double win for New Orleans. The Saints made a splash and are better for it. You can't ask for much more than that.