The Saints have a deep running back room going into 2025, including the perennial star, Alvin Kamara. Head coach Kellen Moore made it clear that Kamara will get a majority of the workload, despite being 30 years old. Although the veteran will be the primary back, Kendre Miller, Devin Neal and Velus Jones Jr. will still get plenty of opportunities.
Moore was asked about his plan to utilize the running back room at Wednesday's press conference. His plans were clear, and reminiscent of his success in 2024.
“Alvin’s our starting running back so he’s certainly going to get a healthy bulk of this thing,” Moore said, “Our other guys are ready, and when the opportunity presents itself, they will handle it really well.”
This plan is similar to the Eagles in 2024
Moore’s gameplan is similar to what he did as the offensive coordinator of the Eagles. Saquon Barkely was the lead back and took a majority of the carries. However, Jalen Hurts and Kenneth Gainwell both had opportunities on the ground, and took advantage of it.
It’s irrational to assume Kamara will rush for 2,000 yards, but breaking 1,000 yards for the first time in his career is a real possibility. Some fans and analysts project a sharp decline for him. Yet, he is coming off a career high 950 rushing yards. Fans shouldn’t anticipate him slowing down until he shows it on field.
Kamara isn’t the only formidable player in the running back room. Kendre Miller is finally healthy and has shown flashes in pre-season, Devin Neal had an uber productive collegiate career and Velus Jones Jr. has elite speed. They won’t be the focal point of the offense, but will still excel in certain situations.
Alvin Kamara will receive a majority of the workload on the ground in 2025. This shouldn’t surprise fans as it’s similar to what Kellen Moore did last year. But this doesn’t mean that the backups won’t get any opportunities. Unlike in Philadelphia, you won't see the quarterback getting much work on the ground