Saints: Breaking Down The Impact Player Injuries Will Have On Roster Decisions

Here are some solutions on a few of the Saints injured players as big roster decisions loom closer.

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) carries the ball against the Chargers / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Dennis Allen and the coaches of the New Orleans Saints have some tough roster decisions to make over the next few days. The Saints close out their preseason with a home game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. By Tuesday, all NFL teams must cut down to a 53-player active roster.

Most of the roster spots have seemingly been clinched. The final 10-15 jobs on a team are typically harder to make. Not helping Allen and his coaches is the fact that there are a few injured players who have talent, but haven't been able to make their case on the field.

With that in mind, here are a couple of those sidelined players that Allen will have to decide whether to keep or part with without much on-field evaluation.

Kendre Miller, RB

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) runs against the Atlanta Falcons / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

There is no doubting Miller's talent. The issue is that he hasn't been able to get on the field. Injuries sidelined him for a portion of training camp as a rookie last year, then limited him to only eight game appearances during the regular season.

On the first day of training camp this year, Miller sustained a hamstring injury. He hasn't been back on the field since, drawing criticism from Dennis Allen on separate occasions.

Over his eight games as a rookie, Miller played more than 10 offensive snaps only four times. He still managed 273 yards from scrimmage, rushing for 156 and getting another 117 on 10 receptions. In the process, Miller showed both an explosive burst and nice vision in the open field.

Again, the issue with Kendre Miller has been availability. His hamstring injury may even prevent him from suiting up in the preseason finale against Tennessee. Meanwhile, Jamaal Williams, Jordan Mims, and James Robinson have all had solid moments throughout camp and both preseason contests. None are as explosive as Miller, but have at least shown that they'll be available behind starter Alvin Kamara in the backfield.

The Miller Solution

New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (25) breaks a big gain against the Indianapolis Colts / Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Saints will keep at least four running backs, with the possibility of a fifth if it helps special teams. With Miller currently unavailable and his short history of being unreliable, it would be a big gamble to keep him over Mims and/or Robinson.

Don't be surprised if New Orleans places Kendre Miller on injured reserve. With the new NFL rules, a player can be placed on injured reserve once the regular season begins but be designated to return after missing a minimum of four games. Miller would not be eligible for the reserve/PUP list (Physically Unable to Perform) because he technically participated in training camp, albeit one practice.

In this scenario, the Saints would have to keep Miller on the active roster through the final cuts and practice squad additions for him to be eligible to return during the season. However, it would also allow New Orleans to re-sign a player like Mims, Robinson (if still available after release), or another position once Miller is placed on injured reserve.

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Mason Tipton, WR

New Orleans Saints rookie wide receiver Mason Tipton (84) / neworleanssaints.com

An undrafted rookie from Yale, Tipton came to the Saints after 1st Team All-Ivy League in 2023. He capped off his collegiate career with 52 receptions for 786 yards and an Ivy League leading 10 touchdown catches in his final year.

Tipton was a longshot to even make the team, despite his very good speed and outstanding contested catch skills. Instead, he consistently caught the eyes of coaches with acrobatic catches and his ability to separate against even the Saints' top corners.

Unfortunately, Tipton suffered a hamstring injury just days before the preseason opener against Arizona. It's kept him sidelined since, short-circuiting what looked like a probable roster spot.

The Tipton Solution

The other New Orleans receivers outside of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed have not been impressive. A.T. Perry has had some nice moments, but hasn't been consistent. Tipton has outplayed fellow rookie wideout Bub Means, a fifth-round choice who dealt with injuries of his own early in camp.

Hamstring injuries can be tricky, especially for a receiver. Tipton has flashed enough talent that the Saints may not want to gamble subjecting him to waivers in hopes of bringing him back to the practice squad.

Tipton's hamstring might not be healed enough to start the season. As a result, New Orleans could ''stash'' him on injured reserve, either with the idea of activating him later in the season or essentially giving him a redshirt year altogether.

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Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon (92) / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Kpassagnon, 30, has been with New Orleans the previous three seasons after spending his first four years with the Kansas City Chiefs. In those three campaigns as a Saint, he has 9.5 sacks, 23 QB hits, and 10 tackles for loss.

At 6'7" and 289-Lbs., Kpassagnon has the strength to play inside in certain situations but the quickness to make plays on the edge. While not a top-tier defender, he's been a valuable and versatile part of the New Orleans rotation up front.

Kpassagnon tore his Achilles during offseason workouts in May. New Orleans placed him on the PUP list, where he has remained throughout training camp. Surprisingly, the injury was not diagnosed as season-ending, but Kpassagnon was expected to miss at least the first portion of this season.

The Kpassagnon Solution

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon (92) / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

With Kpassagnon being on the PUP list for the duration of training camp, he will be eligible to be transferred to the reserve/PUP list. This would mean that he could miss up to four games with a three-week window to begin practicing with the team.

If Kpassagnon is placed on the reserve/PUP list, the above deadlines are the maximum allowable time he could miss. If he's not healthy enough to return to action after those deadlines, than he must remain on PUP or revert to injured reserve for the rest of the season.

The New Orleans defensive ends are set at the top of the depth chart. Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Chase Young look like a disruptive and game-changing trio. Payton Turner has had a solid camp and will likely be the fourth end, but has been extremely injury-prone and unreliable over his four-year career. Isaiah Foskey has also done virtually nothing after being selected in the second round last offseason and has continued to look lost during training camp.

If Kpassagnon was able to return this season, it would provide a critical insurance policy to Turner, Foskey, or if injuries struck along the defensive line. Placing Kpassagnon, Tipton, or Miller on either injured reserve or the PUP would not guarantee a healthy return this season. However, none would cost the Saints a valuable roster spot and also delay the team making at least a few difficult temporarily.