If we were ranking the most interesting position battles on the New Orleans Saints’ roster, quarterback would obviously be No. 1.
But running back might not be far behind.
The Saints have a clear starter in Alvin Kamara, but the pecking order behind the veteran is far from established. And with Kamara not participating in the voluntary workouts this offseason, the Saints’ new coaching staff has consistently shuffled runners in and out of the lineup. That continued Thursday, with rookie Devin Neal and veteran Clyde Edwards-Helaire appearing to take most of the reps with the first team.
Others in the mix include Kendre Miller, Velus Jones Jr., Xazavian Valladay and Marcus Yarns.
“(We’re looking for) consistency, for the most part,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “They’re all talented runners. They can run the football. They got a good space there. The pass protection is huge and the consistency.”
The opportunity is there, especially after last season. Jamaal Williams, the main backup to Kamara in 2024, was released in March. And when Kamara missed the last three games of the year with a groin injury, the Saints’ leading rusher was Spencer Rattler — a quarterback.
New Orleans’ competition this offseason is far from over, but it’ll be worth monitoring. Miller, in particular, is entering a pivotal season after two straight injury-riddled campaigns. But on Thursday, the 2023 third rounder did not catch a pass in 7 on 7s and when New Orleans went to an 11-on-11 walkthrough near the end of practice, Miller was on the far field working primarily with the backups.
“It’s a blank slate for everyone,” Moore said.
Miller, of course, has heard about blank slates before. The same was said last season when Dennis Allen was fired, and interim Darren Rizzi pledged that the running back was no longer in the team’s doghouse. As the final weeks progressed, however, Miller arguably squandered the chance. He only averaged 3.2 yards per carry in four games before missing the final week with a concussion.
Will he seize this chance this time around? That remains to be seen. But Moore and his staff are clearly experimenting to find the best fit.
Another good showing for Rattler
Speaking of competitions, there wasn’t much new to observe on the quarterback front — but Rattler again had a promising practice. With the Saints working primarily in the red zone, Rattler was decisive and zips the ball out of his hand. In 7 on 7s, Rattler completed 6 of his 8 passes with several resulting in touchdowns.
Rookie Tyler Shough went 7 of 8 and a TD. Like the second OTAs session open to media, the Saints gave Shough reps against the team’s starting defense in the second half of 7 on 7s.
Hunter Dekkers, a left-handed quarterback who signed as undrafted free agent, also got his first reps in front of reporters, going 2 of 4 in 7 on 7s.
Staley versatility
Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley also experimented with a few looks in practice. Notably, cornerback Alontae Taylor got extended work on the outside after spending the first few practices open to reporters in the slot. In previous weeks, Taylor would only be on the outside in base situations.
The beneficiary of Taylor’s switch to the outside appeared to be Ugo Amadi. Amadi received the majority of nickel reps, though he was interestingly used as a deep safety in other formations.
Amadi has quietly played a valuable role for the Saints over the last two years. When injuries have occurred or the coaching staff has felt the need to switch things up in the secondary, he has often been the player plugged in.
“The more you can do, the longer you’ll be in the league,” said Amadi, a 7-year veteran.
Star-studded punt returns
Teams will often avoid having their top players on special teams for fear of injury, which is why it was striking to see cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and wide receiver Chris Olave work on fielding punts this week.
Moore, however, was cagey when asked about the possibility of either being the actual returner.
“It doesn’t hurt for guys to get back there and continue to catch ‘em,” Moore said. “You never know.”
Attendance
Players who did not make an appearance at Thursday’s practice included Taysom Hill (knee), Brandin Cooks, Tyrann Mathieu, Kamara, J.T. Gray, Cesar Ruiz, Nathan Shepherd, Cam Jordan and Chase Young.
Offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri and cornerback Dalys Beanum were also sidelined with unspecified injuries, joining Foster Moreau (knee) and Dallin Holker (ankle).
Davon Godchaux and Demario Davis practiced after missing the first two open sessions. Rookie Quincy Riley, dealing with an unspecified injury, progressed to do individual work.