An injury may have put the New Orleans Saints right back where they started in the backfield.
For a stretch in the Week 3 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the run game actually looked alive. That mattered, because the first two games of the season had been a grind on the ground.
Travis Etienne, whose contract was one of the Saints’ major offseason moves, finally started to resemble the player New Orleans had been waiting for. He had the burst, the sharp cuts, and a few eye-catching runs that gave the offense some life.
Then the momentum changed. After a strong carry, Etienne got hurt, and the Saints were left scrambling.
That shift exposed how thin the room looks behind him. Alvin Kamara had to carry more of the load, and that was already a problem in the last game.
Kendre Miller also didn’t match the impact he showed against the Detroit Lions, and both backups seemed a step slower than Etienne, which hurt the offense. CJ Donaldson, the other back in the group, had a decent run in this one, but he’s being used more like a fullback or blocker than a true lead rusher.
The concern now is obvious: the Saints have to run the ball well, and if things fall back to the way they looked before Week 3, that could be catastrophic. It’s fair to wonder whether Kamara and/or Miller can lift the rushing attack enough on their own.
The roster picture doesn’t make things easier. New Orleans has already moved on from Devin Neal, who is now with the Minnesota Vikings, and Audric Estime remains a free agent. The Saints could always circle back to Estime, though Donaldson can handle that type of role, and the bigger issue is finding someone who can actually replace what Etienne was bringing.
There are options, but not many that jump off the page. Zamir White is still on the practice squad, and a move in that direction would not be a surprise. He can get through defenses and create some big plays, even if he doesn’t offer the same electric athleticism Etienne does.
The free-agent market looks thin, too. Dameon Pierce and Tyler Goodson are still on other practice squads and would bring upside if New Orleans wanted to go that route.
If the Saints prefer a more established veteran, Kareem Hunt or Antonio Gibson would make sense as additions. Whether any of them would clearly outplay the current group is another question, but the Saints do need fresh styles in the RB room to give the offense more flexibility.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Saints Backfield Suddenly Has A New Problem Ahead Of Vikings Game
The Saints backfield took another hit when Travis Etienne Jr. left the game against the Raiders with a hamstring injury, adding to a running back picture that has already been unsettled. It comes at a rough time for New Orleans, which has leaned on depth and flexibility at the position while trying to keep the offense moving through the early part of the season.
Minnesota made the situation even more interesting by signing former Saints backs Devin Neal and Audric Estime to its practice squad after both were released by New Orleans because of injuries. With the Vikings set to visit in Week 5, there is at least a chance the Saints could be looking across the field at two familiar names, even as they wait to find out how serious Etiennes setback turns out to be. [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 🡒]