Well that’s something. The New Orleans Saints released both of their practice squad running backs on Tuesday, parting ways with Jordan Howard and Derrick Gore, which comes as a bit of a surprise given how much effort the team put into restocking the depth chart at this position.
They’ve cycled through running backs including Latavius Murray, Tony Jones Jr., and James Funk, each of whom are currently on other rosters around the league. The Saints just managed 29 rushing yards in their Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, their lowest single-game total since a loss to the Baltimore Ravens back on Dec. 19, 2010. Their running game hasn’t exactly been reliable this season.
But it may suggest good news is coming for Mark Ingram II, who has been sidelined in recent weeks with a knee injury. Howard has been elevated for each of the last two games while Ingram was on the mend, though he logged just a handful of snaps on offense (gaining a single yard on his lone rushing attempt). Gore had not gotten into a game prior to his release.
This leaves Ingram, Alvin Kamara, and Dwayne Washington as the only running backs currently under contract, though the Saints do have a pair of fullbacks on the 53-man roster in J.P. Holtz (active for six games this season) and Adam Prentice (active for the first time since Week 3 last Sunday). Maybe more additions are coming, or the Saints are simply comfortable working with who they have. We’ll keep an eye out for movement.