Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
While no official announcement has been made, one position competition result became unmistakably evident when the New Orleans Saints took on the Denver Broncos.
It seems that running back Kendre Miller has earned the second running back role behind starter Alvin Kamara.
The Evidence
After Kamara played just one snap in the final preseason game, which featured three drives’ worth of a dress rehearsal for the healthy starting offense, Miller saw the majority of snaps with the unit.
When asked why Kamara was limited to just a single rep, head coach Kellen Moore highlighted the planned opportunity for Miller.
“We wanted to get Kendre (Miller) with that group, which I felt like was going to be a great opportunity for him,” Moore said in his post-game media availability. “Alvin (Kamara) was alive, and he was ready to go as far as taking some reps if we needed it. We really thought it was a great opportunity for Kendre to roll with the ones as well.”
Miller received 11 of the 16 snaps available with the starting offense. In addition to Kamara’s lone rep, veteran running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the only other rusher to get time with the starters.
The third-year rusher made good on the limited number of carries he was given, rushing three times for 15 yards, an average of five yards per carry.
Moore On Miller’s Offseason Performance
“Kendre has just had a really steady entire offseason,” Moore said. “I thought he’s done a phenomenal job. Training camp, he’s been really consistent week-in and week-out. In these games, I’ve thought he’s run really hard. He’s a physical player. We like what we have seen.”
Coming Back From Injury
When asked about Miller’s off-field approach to the game, fueled by his desire to prove that he can be healthy and be a contributor, Moore gave a shining response. The coach not only highlighted Miller’s work ethic but also made it clear that the running back’s injury history won’t play a role in the evaluation of what he is showing at this moment.
“He has tremendous work ethic,” said Moore. “He is really focused on this opportunity. You can just feel it. His preparation has gone into this thing, he has put a ton of time and effort into it. He handles a lot of volume, and I think that’s really, really valuable. When you’re behind Alvin (Kamara), we are going to ask you to do a few different things, and you’re going to have to be ready to hop in here and there. Whatever’s happened in the past, I don’t really care about because what we’ve seen has been awesome.”
Between the opportunities he’s seeing and praise he’s receiving, it looks clear that Miller, who can be a perfect inside-the-tackles rusher to complement Kamara, is the leader in the club house to be his main counterpart.
