Saints' Running Back Platoon Faces Uncertain Offseason

Filed under: Saints, NFC South

The New Orleans Saints waived tailback P.J. Hill, who spent the season on injured reserve, but that does nothing to clear up a muddled running back picture.

Hill tore his triceps in the preseason and was part of a avalanche of injuries in the backfield, which included Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and Lynell Hamilton.

The Saints finished 28th in rushing and put way too much on the shoulders of quarterback Drew Brees, who set a career high in interceptions. The pass rush did not have to slow down too much, especially with Bush out with a broken leg and no threat on short tosses.

Hill is a big back out of Wisconsin, a Big Ten runner who will get another chance.

Will Thomas get another chance in New Orleans? The team's leading rusher in 2009, he suffered a high ankle sprain and was in and out of the lineup all 2010.

Thomas, depending on the new collective bargaining agreement, could be an unrestricted free agent. He wants a deal. Do the Saints want him?

Thomas played two of his first three seasons in the NFL near the league minimum, and led the Saints in rushing two of his first three seasons. He was a quite a bargain.

Still, the Saints gave him just $1.7 million in 2010, which made him angry and he skipped some offseason workouts. Then, this season, there was a suggestion inside the Saints' camp to a national reporter that Thomas was not working hard enough to get back from a high ankle sprain. There was more ill will.

Bush is owed $11.8 million next season, but the Saints can void the deal. Bush can take less or walk.

 

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Source: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/11/saints-running-back-platoon-faces-uncertain-offseason/

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