The New Orleans Saints will be without Devin Neal for the entire 2026 season. New Orleans placed Neal on injured reserve while setting its initial 53-man roster on Sunday. Unlike wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and linebacker Jaylan Ford, Neal was not given a return designation, officially ending his second NFL season before it began.
Neal had been dealing with a hamstring injury throughout August and aggravated it during the Saints' preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It's another blow to a New Orleans running back room that has dealt with several injuries throughout the summer.
The Saints selected Neal in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Kansas. he appeared in 16 games as a rookie and had been competing for a larger role entering
his second season. He rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 3.6 yards per carry in 2025. Now, New Orleans will have to move forward without one of its young backfield options.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints lose promising running back to season-ending injury
