Audric Estimé is back in New Orleans, and the Saints are giving him another shot to show what he can do.
The team claimed the running back off waivers from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, and in a corresponding move terminated kicker Daniel Carlson’s contract. Estimé’s stop in Cleveland was brief: he played in one game and posted 19 rushing yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
That tiny sample doesn’t say much on its own, but New Orleans already has a fuller picture. According to the Saints, Estimé appeared in seven games for the team in 2025, including one start, and finished with 198 rushing yards and a touchdown on 46 carries.
He also added 12 catches for 103 yards. On top of that, he went through Saints training camp and preseason this year.
That background matters because it gives him a head start in a system he already knows. For a player joining during the season, getting comfortable with the terminology, the expectations and the day-to-day demands can take time. Estimé doesn’t have to start from zero, though his role still has to be earned.
And that’s the real point here: this is a chance, not a guarantee.
The Saints are coming out of their bye needing steady offensive help, and Estimé gives them another body to evaluate. What he does next will matter more than the fact that he’s back. The basics will be the test - hitting the right crease, protecting the football, handling pass protection and being ready when the ball comes his way.
That last part is worth watching, too. His receiving numbers from last season suggest there’s at least something there for New Orleans to explore.
The bigger question is how much responsibility he can actually take on. There’s a difference between being useful depth and becoming someone the team can count on every week. Estimé has a path to move into that second group, but he still has to prove it.
The timing adds a little extra flavor, since the Saints host Estimé’s former team on Sunday, Nov. 8th against Cleveland at Caesars Superdome. Still, the move itself doesn’t mean he’ll play or that he’ll get a specific workload.
For now, this is about opportunity. Familiarity got him back in the door. Performance will decide what comes next.
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