The New Orleans Saints have lost running back Devin Neal for the entirety of the 2026 campaign after placing him on injured reserve. The move came as the team finalized its initial 53‑player roster on Sunday. While wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and linebacker Jaylan Ford received return designations, Neal was not among them, effectively ending his second season before it began.
Neal had been battling a lingering hamstring issue throughout August and worsened it during the Saints’ preseason contest against the Los Angeles Rams. The setback compounds a difficult summer for New Orleans’ running back corps, which has already seen multiple injuries.
Neal was drafted by the Saints in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft from the University of Kansas. He appeared in all 16 games as a rookie and entered his second season vying for a more prominent role in the backfield. In 2025 he accumulated 206 rushing yards and two touchdowns, averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. The Saints will now need to adjust their offensive plans without one of their emerging young running backs.
