Kendre Miller may have played his last snap with the New Orleans Saints as the team tries to navigate their crowded backfield. A third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the TCU product was supposed to be the heir to Alvin Kamara. However, his inability to stay on the field and unremarkable production could prevent him from finishing his rookie contract with the team. He played in just eight games as a rookie, recording 156 yards and one touchdown on 41 attempts. He wasn’t any better in 2024, finishing the season with just 148 rushing yards and one touchdown on 39 attempts in six games. He also fell into former head coach Dennis Allen’s doghouse, as Allen clearly thought he should be playing through some of these bruises.
The running back had a chance to prove himself under Kellen Moore in 2025, but he failed to meet the challenge. Even though Kamara clearly lost a step as the season progressed, Kendre Miller still ended the season with an unremarkable 193 yards and one touchdown in seven games (no starts). The Saints spent big on free agent Travis Etienne in the offseason and still have Kamara on the roster as of this posting. With no clear path to the field and three years of underwhelming production on his resume, don’t be surprised if the Saints move on from the former third-round pick.
Saints Could Try And Trade Kendre Miller
Now entering the final year of his rookie season, it’s highly unlikely Kendre Miller ever plays up to his potential with the New Orleans Saints. Rather than keep him on the bench for a season before letting him leave in free agency, the Saints should try to pursue a trade. Logan Ulrich of NFL Trade Rumors believes Miller is available for any interested teams, but the real question is whether or not anyone would be interested in acquiring him.
Kendre Miller had a solid collegiate career, which is why he was a third-round pick in the first place. However, at some point in time, you need to prove that you can play in the NFL, and Miller hasn’t done that. Based on all evidence to date, his body can’t handle NFL hits, and he lacks the physical gifts to be anything more than a replacement-level player when on the field. He doesn’t do much as a receiver, and he’s unremarkable as a runner.
Perhaps some team would surrender a conditional seventh-round pick for his services, but even that feels like a stretch. Chances are, the Saints will have to move on from either Kendre Miller or Alvin Kamara before the start of the season.
Goodbye to A Franchise Icon
Travis Etienne’s massive contract makes him the unquestioned RB1 in the New Orleans Saints backfield. Alvin Kamara is now the second-best running back on the team and would be Etienne’s unquestioned backup if money weren’t involved. Unfortunately, with the NFL’s salary cap, New Orleans must think about parting ways with the veteran. Kamara currently carries a $10.5 million cap hit, which is a lot for a backup running back. While the team can’t save money by releasing him, they could clear $3.3 million in cap space by trading him after June 1st.
Alvin Kamara is better than Kendre Miller, but is keeping him worth an extra $3.3 million and a late-round draft pick? It’s a fair question to ask, and one that could determine Miller’s fate with the team. Even if he sticks around, look for this rushing attack to go through Etienne. Chances are, Miller won’t do much of anything in the 2026 season, regardless of where he lands.
