Breaking: Reinforcements On The Way For Saints Offense, Per Report

A banged-up New Orleans offense could be getting a major contributor back soon, per reports.

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) after a big gain against the New England Patriots / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints could get a big boost to their offense as early as next week. Saints reporter Nick Underhill reported on Friday that running back Kendre Miller is expected to be activated off injured reserve next week.

Miller could return to practice on Wednesday. That is the first day he is eligible to be taken off injured reserve. He was officially placed on injured reserve on August 27, the earliest a player could be placed on injured reserve with a designation to return during the season. A player with such a designation is required to miss at least four games before being eligible to return to action.

Miller, 22, was a third-round choice by the Saints in the 2023 NFL Draft out of TCU. In three years with the Horned Frogs, he rushed for 2,410 yards and averaged 6.7 per carry while scoring 27 touchdowns. His best season was in 2022, when he ran for 1,399 yards and 17 scores for the national runner-up Horned Frogs.

Miller was plagued by injuries as a rookie, appearing in just eight games and playing in more than 10 snaps in only four contests. When he was on the field, however, he flashed explosive ability and big-play potential for the New Orleans offense.

In primarily four games of action and eight games overall, Miller rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown while averaging 3.8 per carry. He also caught 10 of his 11 targets in the passing game for an additional 117 yards.

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) runs for yards against the Atlanta Falcons / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Miller's best game of the year was in a season-ending win over Atlanta, when he rushed for 73 yards on just 13 carries. He also showed terrific skills as a receiver, traits that weren't used often in college.

Heading into 2024, Miller was expected to be a key part of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's system. His versatility and explosive traits were projected to be an ideal complement to starter Alvin Kamara for the offense.

Unfortunately, we have yet to see Miller in Kubiak's scheme. He injured his hamstring on the first day of training camp in July. The injury kept him sidelined for duration of camp and preseason, resulting in the team placing him on injured reserve.

Alvin Kamara has reportedly been dealing with rib and hamstring injuries, but is off to a strong start to the year. If activated next week, Miller could be in the lineup as early as the Saints' Week 5 matchup at the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.