Kendre Miller shines in Kellen Moore's offense, staking claim as Saints’ future RB1
Kendre Miller is slowly but surely forming the two headed monster next to Alvin Kamara that New Orleans Saints have been waiting for. All it took was moving to a new regime under Kellen Moore and, fingers crossed, staying healthy.
Moore gave the young running back a much needed clean slate, and Miller has proved that to be the correct approach through five games. Talent was always apparent with Miller. From the pure eye test, the third year player simply looks different running the ball. His burst, contact balance and agility is clear. The only problem is it hasn't been paired with sustained health, until now.
Miller has played in five consecutive games. That's the most since his rookie year, which saw him play in seven straight games. In that stretch, however, Miller played less than 10 snaps in four of the seven games. This year, he's seen his usage rate steadily climb each week. He's played 20 snaps in each of the last three games.
Kendre Miller is preparing to take over from Alvin Kamara as the Saints lead running back
There's been a lot of conversation around veterans being usurped for younger players. Isaac Yiadom for Quincy Riley. Pete Werner for Danny Stutsman. Jonas Sanker was pushed into the lineup after a surprise retirement and sudden injury. The campaigning for Stutsman and Riley were about poor performance from vets. Miller, like Sanker, may ascend due to circumstance.
Alvin Kamara is the Saints top back for 2025, but at 30 years old, the question of when will he call it quits will always be right there. There's also the idea of potentially trading off veterans that looms around the Saints' 2025 outlook.
Both of the hypotheticals lend itself to Kendre Miller taking over the mantle from Kamara. This isn't to rush the process. It does feel like 2025 is an audition for Miller. He's serving as one half of a running back duo, and late carries in Week 5 gave him the most carries and yards on the team.
The fact Miller has played a higher percentage of snaps every week is a sign of Coach Moore's growing confidence in Miller. He's delivering right now. The biggest part of the audition is staying healthy. If he can do that, you may see him transition into the bellcow as early as late this season and certainly next year.
That would free up Kamara to be used with more versatility and put less wear on his body. Might be less quantity from Kamara but his quality and effectiveness may boom because of it. Miller becoming the lead running back doesn't require Kamara to be pushed aside. At his age, though, having someone who could be the next guy doesn't hurt. Miller looks like he could be that somebody.
Chad Johnson’s Blunt Message To Joe Flacco After Bengals Trade
The Cincinnati Bengals crossed enemy lines on Tuesday, hoping to put an end to their quarterback fiasco.
After three consecutive losses with Jake Browning under center, the team struck a deal with the Cleveland Browns for veteran Joe Flacco — a move equal parts risky and necessary for a franchise staring at a lost season without Joe Burrow.
The Bengals are 2-3 and desperate to steady the ship before it sinks completely. Flacco, a 40-year-old former Super Bowl MVP and longtime Ravens nemesis, now becomes the unlikely QB1 in Cincinnati.
Amid all the chatter about picks, trades, and cap implications, former Bengals WR Chad Johnson and franchise supporter cut through the noise like a laser.
Within minutes of Flacco landing in Cincinnati, he fired off a tweet that said more than a dozen press releases ever could:
“Joe Flacco, throw it to Chase & Higgins‼️” In one sentence, he summed up exactly what every fan was thinking.
In vintage Ocho flair, he laid out the truth. This offense thrives only when Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are fed.
Mike White Out, Flacco In, Bengals QB Room in Flux
The Flacco deal capped a whirlwind 48 hours for Cincinnati. On Tuesday, the team released quarterback Mike White from the practice squad, ending a short-lived stint that began when Burrow went down with a turf toe injury in Week 2. White never took a snap, but his presence was meant as insurance in an already fragile quarterback room.
That left Browning and Brett Rypien as the only options under center. Browning’s performance over three consecutive losses was steady in the numbers but catastrophic in results. Against the Detroit Lions, Cincinnati fell behind 28-3 before a late flurry of touchdowns made the final score (37-24) look closer than the game felt. The turnovers piled up, leaving the Bengals’ hopes in peril.
Head coach Zac Taylor had been noncommittal about sticking with Browning, and Tuesday’s trade answered the question — for now.
Flacco, along with a sixth-round pick in 2026, arrives to the Bengals in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Browning is expected to slide into a backup role while Flacco takes first-team reps this week ahead of the critical Week 6 road matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
Jameis Winston… And What Could Have Been
While Flacco is now in Cincinnati, Chad Johnson’s previous Twitter/X post of a GIF pointing to Jameis Winston earlier on Tuesday remains a talking point.
The former No. 1 overall pick currently serves as a backup with Russell Wilson for New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, but Johnson’s playful nudge underscores a larger truth: the Bengals need a gunslinger quarterback capable of stabilizing the offense and delivering the ball to their elite weapons.
Winston, with over 24,000 career passing yards and a league-leading passing season on his resume, represents exactly the type of talent Cincinnati lacks while Burrow is out. But Zac Taylor and the Bengals ultimately viewed Flacco as the most suitable and realistic fit for the scheme.
It’s less about Winston specifically and more about the template he represents — a proven arm who can make reads quickly, trust his receivers, and limit turnovers. That’s precisely what Flacco is being asked to do, albeit with a much shorter leash.
The Bengals offense still boasts Chase, Higgins, and Chase Brown — all of whom thrive when given a competent quarterback.
Flacco’s job is to stay upright and get the ball to the playmakers. However, it could prove difficult behind a struggling offensive line.
