Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star receives devastating news that complicates his NFL future after less than ideal situation

When Audric Estime was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, he was viewed as a huge potential value pick. The former Notre Dame star was projected to go considerably higher prior to that April coming around, but unfortunately, poor athletic testing caused Estime to fall. Landing in Denver with head coach Sean Payton felt like a really intriguing fit.

Calling Estime a good football player when he wore the blue and gold is a massive understatement. During his three-year career with the Fighting Irish, the 5-11, 227-pound battering ram rushed for 2,321 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also hauled in 26 receptions for 277 yards and one score through the air. Over 1,300 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns came during his final season in 2023, when Estime was the engine behind the Notre Dame offense.

Estime's rookie season in 2024 got off to a slow start, mostly due to a preseason injury. In total, the New Jersey high school standout played in 13 total games, but only started one contest. Estime ended the year with 76 rushes for 310 yards and two touchdowns, a per carry average of 4.1. While those aren't horrible numbers considering the context, it appears that Estime didn't necessarily win anybody over in his one year in Denver.

Heading into this off-season, it became very apparent that Estime was going to have to fight to try and lock down a potential spot. Unfortunately, Estime was not able to accomplish that goal. On Monday, it was announced that the Broncos have waived Estime. The writing appeared to be on the wall, and this could be the end to this chapter in Denver.