The New Orleans Saints need to be looking around for more firepower.
If the New Orleans Saints want to take their offense to another level in 2026, they should be surverying the running back market closely this offseason.
That’s not to say Alvin Kamara shouldn’t be back in 2026. If he wants to play, he absolutely should be back. But the Saints should be looking around at options to supplement the running back room. Kamara missed six games himself. Beyond Kamara, the Saints had Kendre Miller miss most of the season and rookie Devin Neal played in just 10 games. The Saints eventually passed the baton to Audric Estime towards the end of the season.
The Saints need more and Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman mocked Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 National Football League Draft.
The Saints need to add a RB this offseason
“No. 8. New Orleans Saints: HB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame,” Wasserman wrote. “The Saints ranked 31st in the NFL in rushing grade this season, and Alvin Kamara is entering his age-31 season in the final year of his contract. Jeremiyah Love would give New Orleans an explosive backfield option to help jumpstart Kellen Moore’s run game. Love ranked second in the FBS in rushing grade (93.7) and fourth in explosive runs (39).”
It’s easy to see why Love would be a good fit. He had 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in 2025. That production in itself is enough to warrant a selection by New Orleans. Love is widely expected to be the top overall running back in the 2026 National Football League Draft. Plus, ESPN has him ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in the draft class.
Fernando Mendoza is widely expected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. That would leave six likely non-quarterback picks in front of the Saints before they go on the clock. They should be hoping Love drops. If he doesn’t the team should be in the mix for a receiver like Jordyn Tyson. If not running back or receiver, then the next step would be adding a pass rusher.
NFL Draft Expert Predicts Star RB to Saints
The New Orleans Saints need to consider adding more offensive firepower.
The New Orleans Saints will have an opportunity to add some high-end talent early in the 2026 National Football League Draft.
New Orleans will be on the clock with the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, barring a trade. When the Saints are on the clock, the priority should be finding a way to bolster the offense. The Saints have the quarterback right, a legit No. 1 receiver, and one of the better pass-catching tight ends in football. The Saints have questions in the receiver room beyond Chris Olave, although Devaughn Vele looked good after Rashid Shaheed was traded.
The Saints are fortunate to have Alvin Kamara in the running back room, but there are some questions about the room overall. Kamara is 30 years old and hasn’t played in 15 games in a season since 2022. Because of that, the Saints have to at least think about a long-term plan for the position. If the Saints can add a receiver or running back at No. 8, that arguably should be a priority.
The Saints should consider adding a new RB
On Monday, NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who is one of the most respected draft analysts out there, shared his first mock draft of the offseason and projected Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to land in New Orleans.
“No. 8 pick: New Orleans Saints, Jeremiyah Love,” Jeremiah wrote. “I love — no pun intended — the idea of pairing Tyler Shough with the most electric playmaker in the draft.”
This isn’t the first time someone has mocked Love to the Saints. Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick also did, among others.
If Love is on the board at No. 8, he would be a no-brainer for the Saints. The Notre Dame star had 1,372 rushing yards in 2025 to go along with 18 rushing touchdowns. He had 17 rushing touchdowns and over 1,100 rushing yards in 2024.
The Saints have a legit star and team legend in Kamara. Pairing him with a guy who could potentially be the next long-term star should be a priority. A Kamara-Love duo could be dynamic and set the Saints up for a long-term Saints offense around Olave, Shough, and Love. The Saints had Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, and Kamara together. Imagine if they could find another star-studded trio with Shough, Olave, and Love? A dream scenario.
