Sunday's overtime win over the New Orleans Saints was an especially vindicating moment for one player -- running back Audric Estime. Cut by the Cleveland Browns just days earlier, Estime returned to New Orleans (where he played last year and throughout the summer, leading the team in rushing yards during the preseason) and did a lot to contribute to their victory.
Estime led the team with 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries (a very healthy 4.8 yards per carry), with an early 18-yard run beating what the Saints managed as a team two weeks ago in Paris. That was also their longest rush since Week 1. He proved that New Orleans never should have cut him in the first place. After taking the lead late in the fourth quarter on that touchdown run,
he showed Cleveland they shouldn't have cut him, either.
ESTIME YOU ̶D̶A̶W̶G̶ SAINT!!!
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 8, 2026
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/V9C1NTPnDb
Hindsight is 20/20, but keeping Estime over Kendre Miller was only a mildly controversial take back in August. What was more surprising was seeing the Saints try to stash Estime on injured reserve so they could roster Miller. Estime was healthy to play, asked for his release, and was let go with an injury settlement. He briefly signed with the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Browns, who only let him get into a single game before he was cut again.
Now he's back in New Orleans. The Saints released Miller among a wave of roster moves over the weekend, and for now, Travis Etienne Jr. is still on injured reserve. Undrafted rookie CJ Donaldson wasn't able to play on Sunday, which leaves Estime and Alvin Kamara as the only healthy running backs on the 53-man roster. Zamir White was elevated from the practice squad against Cleveland, but he'll revert to the practice squad with Jarquez Hunter on Monday.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Audric Estime's big game proved the Saints never should have cut him
