Devin Neal is down again, and man, this one really stings for the New Orleans Saints. It’s a gut punch: the second-year running back suffered another hamstring injury during Saturday’s preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Saints head coach Kellen Moore confirmed it after the game, but he didn’t give any immediate timeline for Neal’s return or details on how bad it actually is.
The Dream of a Big Role Just Took a Massive Hit
Here’s the real kicker: this isn’t Neal’s first hamstring problem this summer. He already missed time in training camp with a hamstring injury before he even got back into the preseason rotation. You can feel the frustration, right? This was a huge shot for Neal to actually produce something. Alvin Kamara is sidelined with a sprained MCL, an injury he picked up during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys, and he’s expected to be out for multiple weeks. That opened the door wide open for Neal, Kendre Miller, or another back to step up behind Travis Etienne Jr. Neal, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Kansas, appeared in 11 games his rookie year and was clearly looking to carve out a bigger role on both offense and special teams this season. Missing more time now makes that mission incredibly difficult, almost impossible, especially with Kamara’s absence creating such a critical, short-lived window of opportunity. This was his chance to prove he belonged, to solidify a spot.
The Injury Bug Bites Harder Than Just One Player
But wait, there’s more. Neal isn’t the only Saints player who got dinged up against Los Angeles. Coach Moore also spilled the beans on a bunch of other guys. Linebacker Lorenzo Styles got hit with a calf injury, wide receiver Bub Means sustained a hamstring injury, and Moliki Matavao injured his knee. Torricelli Simpkins III suffered a concussion, and defensive tackle Brien Taylor even picked up a stinger. It’s an absolute nightmare for the Saints to deal with this many injuries, especially in the preseason when you’re trying to figure out who belongs where.
New Orleans should get a clearer picture on Neal’s status after more evaluations. But let’s be real: another hamstring injury, especially after already dealing with one this summer, makes his availability a massive question mark moving forward. This is more than a preseason bump. Fans need to keep a close eye on this situation as the Saints roll through the rest of the preseason, because this could shake up their backfield big time before the season even truly kicks off and completely change their depth chart.
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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