The Saints’ backfield has taken another hit at exactly the wrong time, and the Vikings have already swooped in to capitalize.
With New Orleans dealing with injuries just four weeks into the season, the loss of Travis Etienne Jr. in Sunday’s defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders could leave the team scrambling for help at running back. Etienne suffered a hamstring injury that might keep him sidelined for a while, opening up another hole in an offense that already needs bodies.
That’s where Minnesota enters the picture. The Vikings signed two former Saints running backs, Devin Neal and Audric Estime, to their practice squad.
Both players were with New Orleans earlier this season before injuries ended their time there.
Neal, a sixth-round pick by the Saints in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Kansas, played in 10 games as a rookie and posted 57 carries for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 104 yards.
Heading into his second season, Neal had a chance to push for a bigger role, but a hamstring injury derailed that push. New Orleans placed him on injured reserve during final roster cuts, then reached an injury settlement with him on Sept.
Estime’s path was similar, though he arrived in New Orleans after being drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round in 2024. He played in seven games for the Saints during the 2025 season, rushing 46 times for 198 yards and a touchdown.
He later scored a touchdown in the Saints’ 2026 preseason opener before a thigh injury knocked him out. The Saints placed him on injured reserve on Sept. 12, and he was waived with an injury settlement last week.
Now both backs are in Minnesota, and the timing could hardly be worse for New Orleans. The Saints will host the Vikings in Week 5, which means Neal and Estime could end up facing their former team almost immediately after joining their new one.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem They Can't Ignore
Travis Etiennes injury in Week 3 has left the Saints looking a lot thinner in the backfield than they were just a few days ago. With the run game already leaning on Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller as backup options, New Orleans suddenly has to sort through a position group that no longer looks as dependable or as explosive as it did when Etienne was available.
The Saints have already moved on from other running backs, which makes the depth issue even harder to ignore. If they want to steady the offense, they may need to look beyond the current room and consider outside help, with names like Zamir White or other free agents now part of the conversation as New Orleans tries to find some stability on the ground. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Just Exposed A Defensive Problem They Cant Ignore
Tyler Shough did enough on offense to give New Orleans a real chance Sunday, throwing four touchdown passes in the Saints' 35-27 loss to Las Vegas. Even with that kind of production under center, the result still turned on what happened the other way, where the Saints struggled to handle Brock Bowers and the Raiders' passing game.
Bowers, the rookie tight end, kept finding soft spots and matchup advantages against New Orleans, averaging nearly 12 yards per catch while helping tilt the game in Las Vegas' favor. The way Kubiak chose to start Bowers ended up mattering in a major way, and it left the Saints with a defensive issue they cannot afford to let linger. [Read more 🡒]
Kendre Miller Suddenly Faces A Saints Opportunity That Could Define His Role
Kendre Miller is suddenly positioned for a bigger workload in New Orleans after Travis Etienne Jr. was ruled out with a hamstring injury, a development that lands right before a matchup with Atlanta. For a Saints offense trying to find the right balance in the backfield, the timing matters, especially with Alvin Kamara also likely to have his usage managed so he can stay effective over the long haul.
The challenge is that the Falcons have been sturdy against the run this season, which makes this more than a simple next-man-up spot. Miller now has a chance to carve out a meaningful role in a game where the Saints may need every clean carry they can get, and how they deploy the backfield could say plenty about where his place in the rotation stands going forward. [Read more 🡒]