Former Kansas standout Devin Neal’s first season with the New Orleans Saints has hit a major roadblock.
The Saints announced Sunday that the record-setting running back has been placed on injured reserve because of a hamstring injury. Neal, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound second-year pro, was put on IR without a “designated to return” tag, which means he is not eligible to come back for the Saints during the regular season or postseason.
That distinction matters. Teams can use two injured reserve spots during roster cuts on players with a designated-to-return status, and New Orleans used those on receiver Jordyn Tyson and linebacker Jaylan Ford. Both of those players must sit out at least four games before they can return.
There is still a possible escape hatch for Neal, though it depends on how the Saints handle the injury. According to NOLA.com, New Orleans could reach an injury settlement with him and then release him if the hamstring issue is not viewed as season-ending.
If that happens, Neal would be free to sign with another team. NOLA.com also noted that this is the most realistic route for a player in Neal’s situation to get into games this season.
If the Saints do not waive Neal with an injury designation, he would be stuck on injured reserve for the full season and postseason.
“Neal, the Saints’ sixth-rounder from last year’s draft, was considered to be in the mix for a tightly contested spot behind Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara (at runnin back). But he suffered two separate hamstring injuries during the leadup to the regular season. New Orleans ended up keeping four backs, with the others being Audric Estime and Kendre Miller,” explained Luke Johnson of NOLA.com.
For Neal, the setback is a painful one. He finished his four-year KU career in 2024 as the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards with 4,343, rushing touchdowns with 49, total touchdowns with 53, 100-yard rushing games with 20 and 1,000-yard rushing seasons with 3.
The Lawrence High School and Kansas product entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick and had already been battling hamstring trouble through training camp. He aggravated the injury on a 4-yard run in the first quarter of an Aug. 22 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Neal also missed the back end of his 2025 rookie season because of a hamstring injury. In that campaign, he ran 57 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
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The timing matters for the Jayhawks, who had been watching the situation closely as they sorted out their roster outlook. The NCAA had opposed Councils claim on the grounds that his NBA Summer League participation and his decision to hire an agent already put him out of eligibility, and with the lawsuit now gone, Kansas has to treat the situation as settled and plan accordingly. [Read more 🡒]