The New Orleans Saints are moving on from running back Devin Neal less than a year after the former sixth-round pick showed flashes of becoming a useful part of their backfield.
New Orleans waived Neal from injured reserve with an injury settlement, according to the NFL transaction wire. The move comes just days after the Saints placed him on season-ending injured reserve during their final roster cuts.
That ending drew some attention because Neal did more than simply occupy a roster spot as a rookie.
“Cutting Devin Neal is a bit of a surprise,” New Orleans Times-Picayune reporter Matthew Paras wrote on X. “He may have fallen behind in the RB battle because of his health, but he had shown promise as a rookie and was a solid pass blocker.”
The health component is significant. Neal injured his hamstring during New Orleans’ August 22 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams, another setback after dealing with injuries earlier in the offseason.
But his release still closes the door, at least for now, on a player who had produced when the Saints were forced to lean on him late last season.
Devin Neal Delivered During Saints’ Winning Stretch
Neal finished his rookie year with modest overall numbers: 57 carries for 206 yards and two touchdowns, along with 17 catches for 104 yards in 10 games. He started three times.
The context makes those numbers more interesting.
With Alvin Kamara battling injuries, Neal took 19 carries for a season-high 70 yards in a 24-20 road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 7. He also caught a 14-yard pass and scored the first touchdown of his NFL career.
A week later, Neal carried seven times for 28 yards and scored again as New Orleans beat Carolina 20-17.
So while it would be too much to say Neal carried the Saints to those victories, he was a meaningful contributor in consecutive wins at a point when New Orleans needed help in the backfield.
His value was not confined to carries, either.
Pass protection had become one of Neal’s more encouraging traits. Pro Football Network highlighted him after a 2025 game against Tampa Bay despite Neal not recording a rushing attempt, pointing to his work picking up pressure against Todd Bowles’ blitz-heavy defense.
That helps explain why Paras viewed Thursday’s transaction as notable despite Neal’s summer injury trouble.
Saints’ RB Depth Is Already Being Tested
The timing makes the decision even more interesting.
New Orleans heads toward its September 13 opener against the Detroit Lions with Travis Etienne healthy, but several other running backs have been dealing with injuries.
Kamara suffered an MCL sprain during the preseason and was still absent from the open portion of Thursday’s practice. Kendre Miller and Audric Estimé also were not participating during that media window.
Etienne is therefore positioned for a substantial early workload if those injuries linger. He signed with New Orleans during the offseason and emerged from training camp healthy after the Saints held him out of preseason games.
Neal will no longer be an insurance option.
An injury settlement is different from simply keeping a player on injured reserve. The settlement compensates the player for an agreed period associated with the injury while allowing the club to move him off its reserve list. A player with Neal’s experience remains subject to the waiver process before becoming a free agent if unclaimed.
For Neal, that creates the possibility of another opportunity once he is healthy enough to play.
For the Saints, it means walking away from a 23-year-old back they drafted No. 184 overall in 2025, and one who had already shown he could help them when injuries forced him onto the field.
New Orleans Saints Make Devin Neal Decision After Promising Rookie Stretch