Dennis Allen indicates Kendre Miller MRI results good, will travel with team
The Saints were dealt a huge injury scare, as rookie running back Kendre Miller was forced to have an MRI after leaving his first preseason game with a knee sprain.
Thankfully, it doesn’t look to be too bad for the former TCU Horned Frogs star running back. Miller will travel with the team to California for New Orleans’ second preseason game, Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. While he may not play as a precaution, it’s fantastic that Miller will be there regardless.
“Dennis Allen said Kendre Miller got good news post imaging. He’ll travel with the team to California,” tweeted Katherine Terrell of ESPN.
Continuing, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero added the rookie will still miss time, but there’s “optimism” for his return by Week 1 when the Saints take on the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 10. That’s a great report after some serious concerns after the Saints’ showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
During the aforementioned preseason debut for Miller, which featured a 26-24 win last Sunday for the Saints, prior to his injury, Miller had four carries for a gain of five yards. He also had one catch for one yard.
Continuing, the Saints are counting on the running back in 2023, who with the No. 71 overall pick, in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
After waiting in the wings, Miller finally got his chance to be the lead running back for TCU last season and did not disappoint. He set career bests in nearly every statistical category. Miller finished the year with 1,399 yards on 224 attempts, averaging 6.2 yards per attempt.
Miller also added 17 rushing touchdowns. His 224 rushing attempts nearly tripled his previous best of 83, and his 1399 more than doubled his previous high of 623.
For the final game of the preseason, New Orleans hosts the Houston Texans on Aug. 27. While it seems unlikely Miller will suit up for that one as well, it’s certainly not out of the question at the moment.
Regardless, the Saints will hope Miller is healthy moving forward, as the team had to place running back Eno Benjamin on injured reserve after he suffered an Achilles injury, ending his 2023 season before it began. The Saints claimed Benjamin off of waivers in November after the Texans dropped him.
He had seven carries last season with the two teams. In 2021, he had 70 carries for 299 yards for the Arizona Cardinals, which were career highs.
Time will tell how much burn Kendre Miller gets in 2023, but he’s an interesting talent, and will be one to watch when on the field for the Saints.