New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller has gotten a ton of hype over his short career, from both teammates and staff alike. Even his newer teammates have been impressed, with fellow half back Travis Etienne comparing him to former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell.
Miller's comparison to the multi-time All-Pro came following the last practice of August. "I love Kendre's game; I mean, he's very smooth." Etienne said to the media. "He kind of reminds me of Le'Veon Bell, just the way that he runs, sets things up, and is always falling forward. He's real patient."
It's a big comparison for Miller, who's only played 21 games since being drafted back in 2023. He's dealt with injury after injury, but despite that, he's shown just as much juice as before, still passing every eye test this offseason. For him and the Saints, he'll need to prove his doubters wrong heading into the 2026 season.
The pressure is on for Kendre Miller to prove himself in 2026
Heading into this upcoming season, Kendre Miller actually sits at the third running back spot on the depth chart. However, due to Alvin Kamara's injury status for the beginning of 2026 being how many games will he miss rather than if he will miss time, Miller is expected to act as the RB2 for the first couple of games. Although, that doesn't mean the team won't consider other options in the meantime.
Miller has already had an injury scare this offseason, which caused him to miss over a week of training camp practices. The Saints quickly gave Audric Estime the snaps, where he did so well that he almost took the RB3 job out from under Miller. That, combined with the fact that it's a contract year for Miller, only ups the pressure he'll have on his shoulders for this season.
After his next season, Miller doesn't have any guarantee that he'll be in New Orleans, or even in the NFL in general, as he's in the last year of his four-year rookie contract. One that doesn't give the Saints a fifth-year option, Miller not only needs to kick it into high gear for the team but for himself as well.
If he stays healthy next season, Miller has the tools the Saints need for an RB2/RB3. Perhaps for even more than that, according to Travis Etienne. "I feel like he's going to continue to get better with reps, y'know?" the Saints RB1 said after comparing him to Le'Veon Bell. "I feel like he's a very talented guy, and I'm excited to watch him play."
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