Saints Depth Chart Debate: Devin Neal Lurks As Trade Rumors Swirl for Alvin Kamara
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Abysmal — Immeasurably low or wretched; extremely poor or bad.
Yes, that is the definition of the abysmal and that word comes to mind when I viewed the Saints rushing box score. 14 Carries for 57 Yards and all thanks to Taysom Hill. If it weren't for the swiss army knife himself, this would be much worse. What I want to discuss today is the Saints backfield. Kamara may be traded and amongst all that, Devin Neal has seen some work. So, what's the depth chart look like going forward?
2025 Stats: Alvin Kamara and Devin Neal
Kamara leads the Saints with 106 Carries, 377 Yards (3.7 Yards per Carry), and 1 Touchdown. Kendre Miller sits behind him, but he is out for the season. That has paved way for Neal to be the backup/split-back.
Neal has played 4 Games and has 6 Carries for 21 Yards.
The thing that we eally need to note here is that Neal has much more work over his last two games. Neal has played 45% of team rushing snaps to Kamara's 54%.. This implies changes going forward.
Trade Rumors: Alvin Kamara
"I don't want to go anyhwere," #Saints RB Alvin Kamara on trade rumors and reported meeting with GM Mickey Loomis https://t.co/Ba2Vrtl5M0 pic.twitter.com/rwrScrudZg
— NOF (@nofnetwork) October 16, 2025
We have less than 24 hours until the trade deadline and the Saints have made it quite clear that they are selling. At first, Kamara did not want to get dealt but rumors are swirling that he might get dealt regardless. Surely enough, if the Saints get a good enough offer, Kamara could be gone by the time you are even reading this.
What to Expect Going Forward
There are two scenarios here. If Kamara is dealt, this backfield belongs to Neal. The Saints will add another running back in due time, but it will be Neal's job to lose. The 6th round draft pick was one of Kellen Moore's so he is a guy that fits what Moore wants to do. This gives less reason for Neal to fall off the face of the planet here.
If Kamara is not dealt, he is the starter. Kamara has been dealing with injuries all year long so it does add opportunity for Neal to still have value, but his stock is much better if Kamara is gone. The snap-split would be something to monitor week-to-week. We can suspect that the results of the past couple weeks range from a combination of trade conservation and injuries at hand.
Stock Watch
Either way, the Saints are not very good. They are 27th in Rushing Yards per Game and falling. Even if Neal become the guy, I am hesitant to start him. At best, Neal could be a Flex play.
Depth Chart Debate: Kamara vs Neal
It is simple. If Kamara stays, he is the starter. He is signed through 2026 and has significant dead cap if cut. He should be expected to be used as an asset and not on item on the way out.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.