On Sunday afternoon, before the Saints practiced inside Caesars Superdome for the fans, the New Orleans Saints' view of the backup running back position got clearer. The team released running back Devine Ozigbo, who was battling Tony Jones Jr., Dwayne Washington, and rookie Abram Smith during training camp. None of the rushers have distinguished themselves as a clear front-runner for the backup position.
Ozigbo finished Friday night's preseason game in Green Bay with seven rushes for 40 yards and two receptions for 7 yards (3.5 avg). During the preseason opener in Houston, Ozigbo has eight rushes for 26 yards (3.3 avg) and one reception for -1 yard.
Tony Jones Jr.'s production in the Houston contest yielded seven carries for 30 yards (3.9 avg), one catch for 1 yard (1.0 avg), and three kick returns for 73 yards (24.3 avg).
On Friday versus the Packers, Jones Jr. ran four times for 19 yards (4.8 avg), three receptions for 20 yards (6.7 avg), and two kick returns for 53 yards (26.5 avg).
ABRAM SMITH
Smith was least effective in the rushing attack with nine rushes for 25 yards (2.8 avg) and caught three passes for 5 yards (1.7 avg). He ran behind mostly lower-string players on the depth chart who failed to get a push and open lanes for the running back.
Smith had a productive game in Texas while rushing seven carries for 30 yards (4.3 avg) and one reception for 12 yards (12.0 avg). He did cough up the football near the goal line. Allen stated he had "explosive plays," but putting the "football on the ground" was a concern.
DWAYNE WASHINGTON
Dwayne Washington did not see action against Green Bay. Against the Texans, he rushed nine times for 19 yards (2.1 avg) and had three receptions for 18 yards (9.0 avg). Allen withheld Washington from the Packers game because he is a special teams standout for New Orleans.
Saints Backup Running Backs Rankings (2 Preseason Games)
- Dwayne Washington - 0 Snaps vs. Packers
- Tony Jones Jr. - 15 (24% offense), 8 (32% special teams) vs. Packers
- Abram Smith - 22 (35% offense), 12 (48% special teams) vs. Packers
New Orleans will host the Los Angeles Chargers in its final preseason game in Caesars Superdome at 7:00 PM CT on Thursday, Aug. 25. Both teams are winless in the preseason. Still, the roster auditions will continue and be highly contested for many players. The game may be their last opportunity to impress the team's coaches or have a positive video for another club desiring to sign the player.
Expect New Orleans to focus heavily on the competition between Jones Jr. and Smith in the last warmup before they open on the road against Atlanta in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 12:00 PM CT on Sept. 11.
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