Saints 2021 roster breakdown, RBs: Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray, then everyone else

AGE: 25
NUMBER: 41
COLLEGE: Tennessee
YEARS IN NFL: 4
2020 SEASON: 187 carries for 932 yards, 16 TDs; 83 catches for 756 yards, 5 TDs

NOTES: Even while missing Week 17 due to health and safety protocols Kamara had an illustrious fourth season in the NFL after signing a major contract extension. The star running back set new Saints records for rushing touchdowns in a season (16), total touchdowns (21) and a new NFL record for touchdowns in a game (6 vs Vikings in Week 16). Kamara is entrenched as the starter and is likely to receive a hefty workload as the team moves on from the Drew Brees era.

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AGE: 27
NUMBER: 40
COLLEGE: West Georgia
YEARS IN NFL: 4
2020 SEASON (with Panthers): 6 carries, 9 yards; 5 catches, 18 yards

NOTES: The Saints fullback from last season, Michael Burton, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and Armah was brought in to fill that role. He is the lone fullback listed on the roster and is almost guaranteed that role in the offense barring injury or other circumstances. He won’t be much of a factor as a pass-catcher or ball-carrier, but will serve a key role as a blocker.

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JEFF'S TAKE

Nothing particularly complicated here on the starting line for the Saints, with Alvin Kamara already well established as a top running back across the NFL landscape. The only question will be his workload, which has always been managed well with the Saints for years working with two-back systems that keep high-impact carries at a reasonable number. Kamara carried the ball 171 times in a 2019 season marred by a knee injury, and logged 187 carries over 15 games a season ago. Kamara was used more than ever in the passing game, logging 107 targets and 83 receptions, a tick above the exact 81 he hauled in over each of his first three seasons. How Kamara's role changes -- if it does at all -- with a new QB under center will be interesting to watch, but his role is as secure as they come.

On the fullback side of things, the Saints have just one listed on the roster in recently signed Alex Armah. He appears to be in line to take over the blocking role held the past few seasons by Michael Burton. His role might go overlooked, but he'll have one to play in the power running game, especially if and when Taysom Hill is under center. The Saints could go a different route if Armah falls out of favor, but at present he's the lone man for the job.

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NEXT: ESTABLISHED BACKUP (1)

AGE: 31
NUMBER: 38
COLLEGE: Central Florida
YEARS IN NFL: 7
2020 SEASON: 146 carries, 656 yards, 4 TDs; 23 catches, 176 yards, 1 TD

NOTES: For the second consecutive season with the Saints the backup running back got exactly 146 carries while serving an important role as a running mate alongside Kamara. Murray began his career with the Raiders and spent two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Saints. His best game came in Week 12 against the Denver Broncos when he rolled up 124 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 19 carries. Murray is in the third season of a 4-year deal signed before the 2019 season.

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JEFF'S TAKE

Calling Latavius Murray a backup feels a little unfair to the veteran and his excellent production over two seasons, but so would calling him the starter. Regardless of what you call his position, Murray has played a pivotal role in the Saints' running game alongside Kamara. Assuming health, there's no reason to expect that to change this season. Murray has been remarkably healthy despite often taking on the more punishing, between-the-tackles runs in the Saints' playbook, and he's proved more than capable when thrust into starting duties. With Kamara sidelined for two games in the 2019 season, Murray rolled up 221 yards rushing with three scores, and caught another 14 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in wins over the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. Showing nothing but consistency as he enters his age 31 season, expect the bruising back to return to that role this season.

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NEXT: RECEIVING BACK (1)

AGE: 28
NUMBER: 88
COLLEGE: Stanford
YEARS IN NFL: 7
2020 SEASON: 19 carries, 101 yards; 3 catches, 27 yards

NOTES: The veteran change-of-pace back was lightly used in his first season with the Saints, battling injury early in the season and inactive for multiple games. He served a key role in the Week 17 victory over the Panthers while a majority of the Saints’ running back room was out due to coronavirus. In that game he carried the ball 18 times for 105 yards after logging -4 yards gained in his other four games played throughout the year.

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JEFF'S TAKE

The pass-catching back is a third-down staple in many NFL offenses, but in the Saints system and with Kamara's elite ball skills, it feels more like a luxury. That said, Montgomery is an easy choice in that role if the Saints choose to carry one on the roster. That becomes even easier to do with Montgomery, who still wears No. 88 as a direct line to his background as a wide receiver -- the position he played when he was drafted in the third round out of Stanford in 2015. That positional flexibility could help land him on the roster considering the Saints' depth issues at the WR position. Regardless, his 100-yard rushing performance when thrust into action in Week 17 of last season should also endear him to the coaching staff. It could come down to difficult decisions on cut-down day, but there's a good chance the veteran finds a spot on the final roster.

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AGE: 27
NUMBER: 24
COLLEGE: Washington
YEARS IN NFL: 5
2020 SEASON: 8 carries, 15 yards; 1 catch, 6 yards

NOTES: Washington has spent the past three seasons with the Saints, but has been lightly used in the offense. He’ll have a role on special teams, but will battle for a depth roster spot behind Murray and Kamara.

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AGE: 23
NUMBER: 37
COLLEGE: Notre Dame
YEARS IN NFL: 1
2020 SEASON: 3 carries for 13 yards (1 game played)

NOTES: Jones didn’t have a role throughout the season, which he spent on the team’s practice squad, but was thrust into action in Week 17 alongside Ty Montgomery due to the rest of the team’s running back room being out due to coronavirus.

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AGE: 21
NUMBER: 34
COLLEGE: Indiana
DRAFTED: UDFA signing

Notes: Stevie Scott is a bit of a question mark to Saints fans, but he did nothing but produce as an Indiana Hoosier, leaving the program No. 4 in its history with 30 rushing touchdowns and 9th with 2,543 rushing yards. He was remarkably consistent in the scoring column, logging exactly 10 rushing touchdowns in each of his three seasons with the Hoosiers. He was less dynamic as a receiver, hauling in 55 catches over three seasons for 383 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

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JEFF'S TAKE

In the 2020 season, the Saints kept four running backs and a fullback on the active roster. If Montgomery again lands one of those spots, that would leave likely just one -- if any -- roster spots available for Washington, Jones and Scott. While Jones' work in Week 17 of last season on short notice likely endeared him to the coaching staff, Washington has survived cutdown day each of the last three seasons and beaten out the likes of impressive young players including Boston Scott and Devine Ozigbo to do it. So how does a young running back who's only carried the ball 16 times in two years keep making the cut? Look to special teams. Washington has logged 493 of his 522 snaps on kick and punt return or coverage plays. With the departure of special teams ace Justin Hardee this offseason, special teams abilities will be at even more of a premium when it comes to end-of-roster decisions.

In short: If there is ultimately a 53-man roster spot to be grabbed between Washington, Jones and Scott, their performance on special teams units could end up being far more important in that decision than anything they do with the ball in their hands.

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NEXT UP: Wide receivers