Perhaps no position group on the New Orleans Saints roster is as crowded — and potentially in flux — as the running backs.
New Orleans has a new top back after committing big money to free agent Travis Etienne (four years, $52 million) to address its problem finding explosive runs. Etienne ripped off 26 runs of 10 or more yards in 2025, putting him in the same company as Saquon Barkley (28), Christian McCaffrey (27) and Jahmyr Gibbs (27). As a group, Saints running backs had 20 such runs last season.
Etienne joins essentially the same running back rotation as last year, but several of those players come with questions.
Alvin Kamara is coming off his worst season as a professional and is entering the final year of his contract. Kendre Miller showed promise before suffering a serious knee injury in October, and he has never played more than eight games in an NFL season. Devin Neal and Audric Estimé showed glimpses in larger late-season roles, but are both better situated to be complementary backs. Another recent signing, Ty Chandler, has only averaged better than 3.3 yards per carry once in four seasons.
This is a ground attack that finished last season ranked 28th in rushing yards per game (94.3) and 31st in yards per attempt (3.7). The offensive line played a part in this, but Saints running backs also gained just 1.6 yards after contact last season — which ranked 27th in the NFL.
So, the Saints have a lot of familiar options beyond the big free agent they just signed, but would it really be a surprise to see them continue to add to the position?
Where is the Love?
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, 6-foot, 212: Maybe the Saints pulled themselves out of the Jeremiyah Love sweepstakes when they signed Etienne.
But what if they didn’t?
Some of Kellen Moore’s best offenses featured a 1-2 punch at running back, and if the Saints determine someone like Kamara is not part of their immediate future, it wouldn’t be unfathomable to pair Etienne with another explosive back.
Without question, Love is one of the most talented players in this class, regardless of position. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in each of his last two seasons. Pair him with Etienne, and New Orleans would immediately have one of the NFL’s most dynamic backfields.
The Saints still need a lot of good young players, and the likeliest scenario is that the Saints will fill another roster need with the top pick. The Etienne signing may have even been made partially with the understanding that Love would not fall to No. 8. But if he does, they should at least consider it.
Day 2 options
Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price, 5-11, 203: Love drew the top billing in the Notre Dame offense, but Price is an excellent prospect in his own right.
It’s not hard to view Price through a similar lens as Tre’Veyon Henderson a year ago. Like Henderson, Price comes to the NFL without the toll of a heavy college workload (only 280 career carries at Notre Dame). He was highly productive when he did touch the ball, averaging 6 yards per carry in his college career. And, to top it off, he provides extra value as a return man: Price averaged a whopping 37.5 yards per kick return last year, with two touchdowns.
Arkansas RB Mike Washington, 6-1, 223: Perhaps the best size/speed combination in the draft at running back, Washington put himself on the map with an excellent single season at Arkansas and then he put an exclamation point on it with an impressive combine performance.
Washington ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis — the fastest of any running back in the class — and also posted a 39-inch vertical leap. That explosiveness showed up on the field, as Washington racked up a Southeastern Conference-best 16 plays of 20 or more yards.
Day 3 dart throws
Navy RB Eli Heidenreich, 6-0, 198: Instead of looking for a pure running back, the Saints could look for a player with a more diverse skill set. Enter the Navy product, Heidenreich.
Though he was a receiver in Navy’s offense — he actually broke several school receiving records — Heidenreich doesn’t profile as one in the NFL. But while he was active as a pass-catcher, he also worked extensively as a runner, racking up 1,100 rushing yards in his three seasons.
Heidenreich could play a sort of multi-purpose role, working in the slot while also taking snaps out of the backfield. And he proved he has enough athleticism to play in the NFL, running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash.
Indiana RB Kaelon Black, 5-9, 208: The No. 2 back on Indiana’s National Championship team, Black could be an intriguing sleeper candidate in this year’s class.
He’s not the biggest, and he did not get an invitation to the combine this year. But he rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a secondary option, and his hard-nosed style is reminiscent of former Kansas City Chiefs back Isiah Pacheco — a former seventh-rounder who racked up more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage in his first two seasons.