The Denver Broncos have continued to upgrade and tinker with running backs in the Sean Payton era — tinkering with little success.
In the search for the right backfield, they’ve even used draft picks in recent years that have flamed out quickly — including 2024 5th-round pick Audric Estime, who was waived as part of final roster cuts before the 2025 season.
Estime now finds himself in an uphill battle to keep his NFL career alive after starting the regular season on injured reserve for the New Orleans Saints.
“Saints signed tight end Treyton Welch to their active roster and placed running back Audric Estimé on Injured Reserve,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Saturday.
“The Saints placed RB Audric Estime on Injured Reserve,” NOF Network wrote on its official X account on Saturday. “Estime was previously ruled out for Week 1 with a thigh injury and will now miss a minimum of four games. Undrafted rookie RB CJ Donaldson has been elevated from the practice squad for the season opener.”
“Saints have placed RB Audric Estime on injured reserve,” Saints reporter Erin Summers wrote on X on Saturday.
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Estime Responded To Competition With Pouting
Denver’s weakest position group in 2024 was arguably their running backs. It was something that was addressed several times in the offseason as the Broncos drafted UCF’s RJ Harvey in the 2nd round of the 2025 NFL Draft and signed free agent J.K. Dobbins.
Estime ran into trouble when he took umbrage at his position on the depth chart — which is truly inconsequential on a Sean Payton-coached team in the preseason — and former Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay called him out for “pouting” over where he was listed.
Lindsay implied attitude issues had been an issue for Estime dating back to his rookie season.
After Estime underwhelmed in the 2025 preseason, the writing seemed like it was on the wall.
“Show the coaching staff that you want this job,” Lindsay said in July 2025. “Instead, with Audric Estime, it seems like he would walk to his rep or when he’s sitting there it’s like he’s not paying close enough attention or he’s going through the motions because he’s pouting … to the coaches it seems like you’re the same person as last year, and when things don’t go your way, you pout.”
Saints Signed Audric Estime After Philly Stint
The Philadelphia Eagles swooped Estime up for their practice squad almost instantly after he was released by the Broncos in 2025 — just 2 months later, he was on the active roster for the Saints.
Estime looked pretty good in his short time with the Saints. In 7 regular-season games, he had 46 carries for 198 rushing yards and 1 touchdown — an average of 4.3 yards per carry — to go with 12 receptions for 103 yards.
Former Broncos Draft Pick Lands on Injured Reserve With Saints