![Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) signals a first down during the third quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_1542,h_867/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/15/01ktnd21eyg6v08hdvxb.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) signals a first down during the third quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]")
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton laid out the 25 best moves in the NFL this offseason. The New Orleans Saints made a few moves that could enter in the conversation. They made two splash signings with free agents Travis Etienne and David Edwards. The Saints followed it up with drafting arguably the best receiver in the draft, Jordyn Tyson.
Only one of these moves made the cut, however. Moton pointed to signing Etienne being not just one of the top-25 moves but one of the 10 best moves in the league this offseason. You could make an argument for all three of these moves. There were some draft picks on the list, so it wouldn't have been a shocker to see Tyson.
It's hard to deny Etienne's impact on the team. The same could be said for Edwards, but running back is a flashier position with an impact that's easier to quantify. That's why Moton placed in the grouping of moves that will elevate offenses. He wrote that the Saints "can change the complexion of their ascending offense with Travis Etienne Jr." Moton also called for Kellen Moore to make Etienne the focal point of the offense.
Travis Etienne's impact on the Saints can be felt with one number
20. The Saints have been allergic to 20 yard runs while Etienne has racked them up since stepping on the field in 2022. Any time you can do a player to team comparison, things are either really good or really bad, depending on what side of it you're on. For the last four seasons, the Saints were on the wrong side of things.
Etienne has nearly three times the amount 20 yard rushes since 2022 as the Saints do in that same time. The Saints have 8 rushes of 20 or more yards in four seasons. That's the worst in the NFL. Etienne, on the other hand, has 23 runs of over 20 yards by himself.
It's a quality the Saints just haven't had for a couple of years. There's been some successful Alvin Kamara years, but it hasn't been achieved by big plays. 20 yard runs are rare, and 30 yard runs have been an endangered species for years now. That all changes with this signing.
The benefit of explosive plays can be explained in multiple different ways, but let's keep it simple. It's hard to continuously get down the field with 8-10 play drives. There's just more room for error in longer drives. Explosive plays and players who can take it the distance from anywhere give the team a greater possibility for shorter scoring drives.
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