With the Coronavirus pandemic and protests in the U.S., the New Orleans Saints have found themselves in the midst of the news yet again. Drew Brees recently made waves when expressing his disdain for kneeling during the national anthem, and later expressed his apologies after meeting with his fellow teammates.
With this attention centered around the Saints, the Saints have shown unity. Fans can breathe of relief as they worried how this would hurt the chemistry of the offense. In the spirit of offense, we will just ride this wave and discuss the top four New Orleans Saints running backs since 2009.
Top Four New Orleans Saints Running Backs Since 2009
4. Reggie Bush
The Saints drafted Reggie Bush in 2006 and played with the team until 2010. Bush was used alongside Deuce McAllister.
3. Pierre Thomas
Thomas was with the Saints from 2007-2014. Thomas was an asset on the Saints road to Super Bowl XLIV. He scored six touchdowns and had 39 catches. I believe Thomas was essential in the Saints building a contending team for the Super Bowl. He was a lead rusher in 2008 and 2009 seasons.
2. Alvin Kamara
The Saints drafted Kamara in 2017. Kamara started off sharing his running back duties with Mark Ingram. He finished his rookie season with eight touchdowns. Kamara’s rookie season was a breakout moment for him and the Saints. They displayed a strong running back duo with Kamara and Ingram together sharing the responsibilities. It made the run game stronger not having just one person to rely on. Kamara and Ingram became the first duo to reach over 1,500 scrimmage yards in 2017. Ingram’s suspension gave Saints fans insight on how it would be with just Kamara in the back field in 2018 when Ingram was out for four games. He would later assume the starting running back upon Ingram’s departure.
Kamara is known for his ability to make defenders miss and making them work for getting him down. His flexibility and strong core make him a good running back. While he is sharing the role with Latavius Murray, Kamara has proven to be a good asset to team. He is one that the Saints will want to keep for the long haul.
1. Mark Ingram
Last but not least, the Saints drafted Mark Ingram in 2011. I believe he quickly became their ‘go-to’ running back once drafted. In his rookie season, Ingram finished his season with five touchdowns and rushing for over 400 yards. Ingram missed four games in his last season because of suspension. Ingram is known for his speed and strength. He will drag defensive players down the field if he has to. In his last season, he ended with 645 yards and six touchdowns before moving onto the Ravens.
