It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the New Orleans Saints running backs. Their depth chart has taken several hits with veteran backup Latavius Murray leaving the practice squad for a better opportunity with the Denver Broncos and third-year pro Tony Jones Jr. being claimed by the Seattle Seahawks off of the waiver wire.
That leaves New Orleans with just three players at the position: Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram II, and Dwayne Washington. So it isn’t surprising to see the team fly in a group of free agents for tryouts this week. Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that the Saints had four running backs work out at the team’s practice facility:
Jordan Howard
Howard, 27, tried out for the Saints back in July, though he didn’t sign a contract. The 2016 Pro Bowler spent most of his career with the Chicago Bears (47 games) but may be best known for his time with the Philadelphia Eagles (19 games), with a 5-game stint on the Miami Dolphins sandwiched in there. He’s averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his NFL career.
Jordan Wilkins
Wilkins, 28, spent the first 49 games of his pro career with the Indianapolis Colts but appeared in one game with the Tennessee Titans last season (he’s also spent some time with the Jacksonville Jaguars). He’s averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry in the NFL, but Wilkins has never seen more than 84 rushing attempts in a single season.
Antonio Williams
Williams, 24, spent the first two years of his pro career on the Buffalo Bills practice squad but joined the New York Giants in 2022, only to be let go on Oct. 5. He’s only logged a dozen rushing attempts in the NFL, but he’s turned those into 63 yards and two touchdown runs. Two teams have already kicked the tires on him, but he’s a young player with potential and could be worth a longer look.
A.J. Rose
Rose, 24, joined the Minnesota Vikings practice squad in 2021 as an undrafted free agent and made the jump to the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, who released him during August roster cuts. He hasn’t seen much NFL action yet while trying to catch on with a pro roster.
