The New Orleans Saints have built up their running back room so much, it has created an absolute headache for the coaching staff trying to trim down the roster. Fourth-year running back Kendre Miller, a 2023 third-round pick, is right in the eye of that storm, and despite flashing serious talent when healthy, his roster spot is far from a lock. It’s a brutal reality: sometimes being too talented in a deep position room means you’re the odd man out.
The Maddening Dilemma of Too Much Talent
Look, the issue isn’t whether Kendre Miller has the ability to play in the NFL. He absolutely does. He has flashed plenty of talent in his time, even looking like the best player in the room at certain points during the offseason. Talent-wise, he hasn’t fallen behind anyone else. But here’s the kicker: the Saints are facing a brutal choice between Miller’s undeniable potential and the cold, hard facts of reliability and availability. When you’ve got this many guys making a strong case, every snap and every day healthy counts big time.
NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill broke it all down on Terron Armstead’s “The Set” podcast, and the math for Miller just ain’t adding up. Underhill summed it up perfectly, saying, “I don’t know what you do with him. That’s a real problem because the talent is so legitimate, but can you trust him?” He questioned if the team has an extra roster spot to gamble on Miller’s upside, especially when other backs are stepping up in a huge way.
Who Else Is Making Noise in That Backfield?
It’s not just Miller, of course. Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne Jr. are still in that room, and then you have a trio of emerging backs who have absolutely balled out. Audric Estime, Devin Neal, and Ty Chandler have all made incredibly strong cases for themselves, making this roster decision a total nightmare. Chandler, man, he’s been particularly impressive. He got a massive shoutout for what he showed both running the ball and in the return game. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Saints’ first preseason game, Chandler literally started things off with an 86-yard kickoff return! That kind of explosive play makes him impossible to ignore.
When you have guys like that making an immediate impact, it just makes the decision on Miller’s potential versus their proven reliability that much tougher. It’s a “good problem to have,” sure, but for Miller, it could mean he’s looking for a new home.
As the Saints push closer to their final 53-man roster decisions, Kendre Miller is going to be one of the most fascinating names to keep an eye on. Can his pure talent overcome the “tough math” and availability concerns? Or will this crowded backfield force them to move on from a third-round pick still oozing potential? The next few weeks are going to be wild for Miller and the Saints.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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