Etienne returns to practice as Saints list 10 on Wednesday injury report for the Panthers
Travis Etienne Jr. practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday for the first time since a Week 3 hamstring injury sent him to injured reserve. Alvin Kamara, C.J. Donaldson and Erik McCoy did not practice.
NEW ORLEANS: Travis Etienne Jr. was back on the practice field on Wednesday, working on a limited basis as the New Orleans Saints opened their week of preparation for Sunday's home game against the Carolina Panthers.
The return is the headline item on the team's official Wednesday injury report, which listed 10 players in all. A note on the report states that Etienne has returned to practice and remains on the Reserve/Injured list, where he has been since a hamstring injury suffered in the Week 3 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
A limited first day back does not settle his status for Sunday. The Saints now have a 21 day window in which to activate him to the active roster, and reporting from the team's Wednesday media session indicates the coaching staff intends to let the rest of the week play out before deciding whether he plays against Carolina.
Three Saints did not practice at all. Alvin Kamara was held out under a rest designation, with a back injury also listed beside his name. Running back C.J. Donaldson sat out with a shoulder injury, and center Erik McCoy, whose biceps injury has kept him at the center of the line's reshuffle, did not participate.
Five more players were limited alongside Etienne: left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with an ankle injury, guard David Edwards with a knee injury, cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. with a shin injury, tight end Noah Fant with a back injury, and rookie defensive tackle Christen Miller with a knee injury. Swing tackle Asim Richards, listed with a thumb injury, was the only player on the report to practice in full.
The running back room has turned over more than once during his time away. Kendre Miller was waived, Audric Estime returned to the roster, and both Kamara and Donaldson have dealt with injuries of their own in recent weeks. A healthy Etienne would give the Saints their first choice running back again for the stretch run of the division schedule.
Carolina's half of the same official report came with a caveat: the Panthers held a walkthrough on Wednesday, so their participation levels are estimates. Four Panthers returned to practice and remain on the Reserve/Injured list, running back Jonathon Brooks, guard Brady Christensen, cornerback Mike Jackson and receiver Xavier Legette, and all four were estimated as full participants. Running back Chuba Hubbard was estimated as a non participant for rest, and linebacker Bobby Okereke was estimated out with a foot injury.
The Saints will publish their next injury report on Thursday afternoon, when Etienne's second day of work, and any change in the status of Kamara, Donaldson and McCoy, will give a clearer reading on who is available for Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
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