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jeanpierre

BY JOEL A. ERICKSON | JERICKSON@THEADVOCATE.COM SEP 6, 2018 - 9:44 AM

A New Orleans Saints running back position that was murky at the beginning of training camp has only gotten more muddled this week.

With Mark Ingram out of the building for four weeks due to a suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the Saints have gone through a string of surprising roster moves in the days since the league's cut to 53 players on the roster.

And there might be more changes coming.

New Orleans currently has just two running backs on its roster in Alvin Kamara and Mike Gillislee, and the lack of depth at the position might mean another change is coming.

"We've never done that before," Saints head coach Sean Payton said. "That'd be hard to do, but it's certainly a possibility."

Only Kamara is a given, and his role in Sunday's game against Tampa Bay could be different if the Saints feel more comfortable giving him work than some of the backs they've signed in the past week.

Gillislee, a veteran who was signed the day after the initial roster reduction, profiles as a first and second-down back who likely won't be a big factor in the passing game. New Orleans also has former Lions running back Dwayne Washington on the practice squad; Washington has some pass-catching ability.

Whether or not the Saints have more familiar options at hand depends on the waiver wire. New Orleans kept Jonathan Williams on the practice squad after his surprising release on Saturday, and the Saints would like to bring back sixth-round draft pick Boston Scott if he clears waivers today.

"We thought he had a good training camp for us, and yet, one of the challenges, especially early in the season, is trying to fit all the right pieces in place, relative to your active roster and practice squad," Payton said. "He's developed, and he's going to continue to."

As promising as Scott looked in the preseason, though, the rookie needed to make more of an impression as a return man in order to keep his roster spot.

"We thought he did some good things, and yet there's a number of things he has to improve on," Payton said. "He's further along as a running back, and a little bit more behind as a returner."

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

K Major

As promising as Scott looked in the preseason, though, the rookie needed to make more of an impression as a return man in order to keep his roster spot.

^^ This ^^.

SmashMouth

So who's better... Gillislee or Boston Scott?

Euphoria

They are two different backs... bad apples/oranges.

Gillislee Could hold down Ingrams spot until he returns where Scott would be a good fill in for Kamara.

K Major

Outside of pre season snaps, Boston is a unknown commodity.

What I do know about Gillislee is that he's a disciplined (see Patriots film) back who doesn't fumble or will hurt a team. Not a lot of "splash" plays but he's consistent. I have nothing against the rookie Boston but he's a unknown RB.

Tampa's defense is full of goons ready to take shots on a QB. It gets real on Sunday.

ScottF

the Williams cut is more and more perplexing

I can see someone like Arnold getting the yo-yo cut and Williams or Scott resigned

MatthewT

Taysom Hill is the 3rd RB... RUN TAYSOM RUN..

voodooido

Not opposed to drew throwing the ball 75 times for 8 tds and 700 yards

ScottF

Scott, Vereen, Williams, Lasco, West, Edmunds...

seriously, how did we get to only having 2 running backs?