Jamaal Williams was already expected to play a key role in the New Orleans Saints ' running back plans one year after his breakout season with the Detroit Lions in 2022.
Now, New Orleans will likely lean heavily on Williams in the early part of the 2023 season.
On Saturday, Saints coach Dennis Allen told reporters post-practice that fourth-year back Eno Benjamin tore his Achilles in training camp, an injury that will likely force him to miss the entire 2023 season.
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That comes less than 24 hours after five-time Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara was suspended three games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy for his role in a fight at a Las Vegas nightclub during Pro Bowl week in 2022.
In their absence, Williams and rookie Kendre Miller are expected to carry the workload at running back, per reports, until Kamara returns. Miller was a third-round pick out of TCU in the 2023 NFL draft.
Williams, BYU's all-time leading rusher, signed a three-year, $12 million contract with New Orleans during the offseason.
He's coming off his first 1,000-yard season as a pro — Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns last season for the Lions while running for 1,066 yards.
Kamara has been the team's top running back since New Orleans drafted him in 2017 — the dual-threat back totaled 1,387 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns last season, two years after his best statistical season.
Miller ran for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns for TCU last year in his first season as the team's feature back.
"We've probably been our best offensively when we've had a little bit of a running back-by-committee approach," Allen said, per Saints Wire .
