New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - New Orleans Saints Report: Payton will bring in safeties for tryouts

Lenny Vangilder - FOXSportsSouthwest.com

METAIRIE, La. – The New Orleans Saints went into Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers with an inexperienced running back corps.

By the fourth quarter of the Saints’ 16-14 victory, the depth question was at strong safety.

Starter Roman Harper was inactive with a right hamstring injury. Pierson Prioleau, who started in Harper’s place, left in the second quarter with a bruised lung. Chris Reis, who replaced Prioleau, injured a shoulder in the third quarter.

Suddenly, the Saints had no healthy bodies at the position. Usama Young, the backup free safety, moved over to strong safety and turned in perhaps the game’s biggest play, stopping Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams for a 4-yard loss as the Panthers were nearing range for a game-winning field goal try.

Saints coach Sean Payton said at his Monday news conference that there’s "a good chance" the team will bring in safeties on Tuesday to bolster depth. Payton said he will be looking not only for help in the secondary, but on special teams, where Prioleau and Reis are key contributors.

Prioleau spent Sunday night in an area hospital and was discharged Monday morning. "He’s feeling better," Payton said. "It’s something we’ve got to monitor. Something as significant as a lung, we’ve got to be patient."

Reis "is having all the MRIs read as we speak," said Payton, who went so far as to declare Reis out for Sunday’s road game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The running backs, on the other hand, were primarily a positive against Carolina. Rookie Chris Ivory, in his first career start, gained a team-best 67 yards on 12 carries. Ladell Betts rushed for 47 yards on 13 attempts and caught four passes for 23 yards.

The Saints, despite scoring only one touchdown, controlled the ball for

79 offensive plays and held the ball for 38:22.

"There (were) opportunities for scoring that we didn’t take advantage of," said Payton. "We feel like we left some points on the board. We possessed the ball more and our third downs were better."

New Orleans Saints Report: Payton will bring in safeties for tryouts