Audric Estime’s Late-Season Surge: From Practice Squad to Key Contributor in New Orleans
When the 2025 NFL season kicked off, Audric Estime wasn’t even on an active roster. Fast forward to the final weeks of the year, and the 22-year-old running back was leading the New Orleans Saints' backfield in snaps - a remarkable rise for a player who started the season on the outside looking in.
A fifth-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft, Estime came into the league with a strong résumé from Notre Dame: 2,261 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns over his final two college seasons. He showed flashes in his rookie year with Denver, putting up 310 yards and two touchdowns as a backup. But after being cut at the end of the 2025 preseason, Estime’s NFL future looked uncertain.
Philadelphia picked him up for their practice squad, but he never cracked the active roster. When the Eagles let him go in mid-October, the Saints scooped him up on October 21 - initially just as insurance. But in a season where the New Orleans backfield was hit hard by injuries, Estime’s number was called sooner than expected.
The Opportunity Opens
The Saints’ depth chart took hit after hit. Kendre Miller went down for the year in Week 7.
Alvin Kamara and rookie Devin Neal both missed time late in the season. What started as a depth move quickly turned into a necessity.
By November 5, Estime was promoted to the active roster. Just a few weeks later, he was the last man standing in a battered running back room.
Estime saw limited action early on - just three touches in his first three games - but his role grew out of necessity. Against the Panthers in Week 15, he showed some versatility, catching three passes for 39 yards and adding 11 on the ground.
The next week against the Jets, he chipped in 36 yards from scrimmage. Not eye-popping numbers, but in a Saints offense that had been sputtering, every bit helped.
Breakout Performances
The real breakout came in Week 17 against the Titans. Estime ran with purpose, racking up 94 rushing yards - the second-highest total by a Saints back all season. It was the kind of performance that turns heads in a front office and earns trust from a coaching staff.
He followed that up with another strong outing in the season finale against Atlanta: 63 rushing yards and 43 receiving yards on five catches. That 106 total yards from scrimmage marked a career-high, and his five receptions showed he could be more than just a downhill runner.
What It Means Going Forward
Estime didn’t just fill a roster spot - he delivered when the Saints desperately needed someone to step up. His late-season surge gave New Orleans a much-needed spark and offered a glimpse of what he could bring to the table in a bigger role.
Looking ahead, the Saints are likely to bolster their backfield this offseason. Kamara remains the lead back when healthy, and Devin Neal showed promise in limited action.
But Estime has carved out a legitimate case to be part of that rotation. He runs with power, has soft enough hands to contribute in the passing game, and most importantly, he showed up when the team needed him most.
For head coach Kellen Moore, Estime’s emergence adds another layer to the offensive puzzle heading into 2026. He may not be a household name yet, but Estime’s late-season play made one thing clear: he’s not just a depth piece - he’s a player worth watching.