Tag: tony jones jr

Maurice Jones-Drew ranks Alvin Kamara as 30th-best running back in NFL

Maurice Jones-Drew ranks every running back to start a game in 2023.

NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew ranked all 72 running backs who started a game this season, and the New Orleans Saints had three of them: Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams and Tony Jones Jr. (Kendre Miller didn’t qualify.)

The Saints running game wasn’t strong this season, so it should come as no surprise that no New Orleans player ranks high on the list. Kamara is the first Saint to make the list at No. 30. His season was limited in the running game, and New Orleans also failed to deliver on preseason hype that Kamara would return to his previous glory as a pass catcher.

Williams is significantly farther down the list, in the bottom third. There’s a reason the players decided to defy Dennis Allen in order to get Williams a touchdown in the season finale. He struggled to find his footing in the offense.

Jones, meanwhile, started for the Saints in Week 3. He later became an Arizona Cardinal and now finds himself as the 64th-ranked running back by Jones-Drew. The Saints will be hoping for more out of the group in 2024.

Saints haven’t stacked up well against their division rivals

The Saints haven’t stacked up well against their division rivals in the NFC South. They’ve been outscored 67-44 so far, with three rematches yet to go:

It’s tough to win your division when you can’t beat the other teams that reside in it. The New Orleans Saints haven’t stacked up well against their NFC South rivals this season: they’ve been outscored 67-44 so far, with three rematches yet to go. And much of the blame falls on Derek Carr and Pete Carmichael’s underperforming offense.

The Saints had 11 possessions in their Week 2 game with the Carolina Panthers, resulting in two touchdowns, two field goals, an interception, and five punts, plus the end of game kneel-down.

In Week 4, New Orleans again had 11 drives, which ended with three field goals, an interception, two fumbles, and four punts along with an end of half kneel-down. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense was never seriously threatened by the Saints.

And in Week 12 against the Falcons, Carr’s unit had the ball on 10 series and ended the day without much to write home about: six field goals (one unsuccessful), an interception, and a fumble, but just one punt, again kneeling the clock out before halftime.

So let’s tally that up. Across three games with the specific teams the Saints must defeat the win the NFC South, New Orleans has had the ball 32 times and managed just two touchdowns — both scored by running back Tony Jones Jr., who isn’t on the team anymore.

Now, these divisional matchups are always tough. Because the teams face each other twice each season, they become common opponents with known tendencies and vulnerabilities that can be exploited. When the Saints are still running the same plays that Drew Brees perfected half a decade ago with vastly inferior personnel, mistakes are going to get magnified and the teams that know those plays best are going to feast. That’s exactly what we’re seeing.

The good news is that the Saints still have time to fight back. They’ll have rematches coming up with the Panthers (in Week 14), the Buccaneers (in Week 17), and the Falcons (in Week 18). They must quickly hammer out what’s tripping them up offensively and find ways to put points on the board. Settling for field goals over and over again isn’t cutting it. For all the star talent on the roster and all the hundreds of millions of dollars on payroll, they don’t have much to show for it.

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Cardinals claim RB Tony Jones Jr. off of waivers from the Saints

The Arizona Cardinals claimed running back Tony Jones Jr. off of waivers after the New Orleans Saints let him go. It’s his second stop with an NFC West team in as many years:

The Arizona Cardinals claimed running back Tony Jones Jr. off of waivers after the New Orleans Saints let him go, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. It’s his second stop with an NFC West team in as many years — the same thing happened last season when the Saints waived Jones, who was quickly snapped up by the Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals could use more depth at running back with James Conner managing a knee injury.

This will be Jones’ fourth NFL team after he rejoined Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos this summer, though he ultimately didn’t make the cut for a roster spot. The Saints brought him back and he did an admirable job filling in for Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams the first few weeks, scoring each of his first two touchdown runs as a pro against the Carolina Panthers in Week 2.

But you have to wonder what the vision is for the Saints at running back. Williams won’t be eligible to return from injured reserve (with a hamstring injury) until at least Week 7’s game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They also have undrafted rookie Jordan Mims on the practice squad. At the moment, though, they’re left with just Kamara and third-round draft pick Kendre Miller on the 53-man roster. Maybe they’re planning for more contributions by Taysom Hill and fullback Adam Prentice to bridge the gap until Williams returns.

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Saints waive running back Tony Jones Jr. to make room for another offensive lineman

The Saints waived running back Tony Jones Jr. to make room on the 53-man roster for another offensive lineman, promoting Tommy Kraemer from their practice squad:

The New Orleans Saints waived running back Tony Jones Jr. to make room on the 53-man roster for another offensive lineman, promoting Tommy Kraemer from their practice squad — meaning they’ll go into Week 5’s matchup with the New England Patriots while dangerously thin at running back.

Now that Jones (whose pair of touchdown runs in Week 2 make up half of the Saints’ offensive touchdowns scored this season) is off the roster, New Orleans is left with just two running backs available to play Sunday at New England: Alvin Kamara (49 snaps last week) and Kendre Miller (5 snaps in Week 4). Jones was limited to just 11 snaps on offense last Sunday once Kamara returned from suspension. It’ll be a few more weeks until Jamaal Williams is eligible to return from injured reserve.

As for Kraemer: the former Detroit Lions backup worked at both guard spots for the Saints this summer, primarily on the right side. He was quickly re-signed to the practice squad after roster cuts in August and has hung around ever since. The Saints could be thin at guard with Andrus Peat (concussion) and James Hurst (hip) both questionable to play tomorrow due to injuries, so Kraemer’s services may be needed. Their only other healthy guards are Cesar Ruiz, part-time center Max Garcia, and rookie draft pick Nick Saldiveri.

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Saints promote practice squad RB Tony Jones Jr. to their 53-man roster

The Saints promoted practice squad running back Tony Jones Jr. to their 53-man roster, a well-earned opportunity after he scored two TD runs on Monday night:

This is cool: the New Orleans Saints could have kept running back Tony Jones Jr. on their practice squad for another week before promoting him to their 53-man roster but they’re going to sign him now anyway, per ESPN’s Field Yates.

It’s a nice pay raise for Jones, who was earning about $21,000 each week on the practice squad. Now that he’s been brought up to the 53-man roster he’ll be receiving weekly game checks north of $56,000. That’s well-deserved after he scored his first two touchdowns on Monday night after 20 games in the NFL.

This move also says a couple of things about the team’s other running backs. It suggests that Jones will remain in their plans after Alvin Kamara returns from suspension on Monday, and that they’ll be needing Jones’ help with Jamaal Williams on the mend with an injured hamstring. Having an experienced runner in the rotation could be key in the weeks ahead.

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Saints waive backup WR-turned-RB Kirk Merritt

The Saints waived backup wide receiver-turned-running back Kirk Merritt from their 53-man roster, meaning they currently have two open roster spots:

This is something. The New Orleans Saints waived backup running back Kirk Merritt on Tuesday, per NewOrleans.Football’s Brooke Kirchhofer. Merritt previously played wide receiver for the Saints but switched positions last season on the practice squad to try and earn more reps.

An injury kept Merritt on the sidelines for most of the preseason, but he made the initial 53-man roster anyway — only to line up as a receiver on both of his snaps in Week 1 (once in the slot, once out wide). He was inactive in Week 2 and has now been let go, though it’s likely he’ll return to the practice squad. So what’s the plan here?

The Saints are suddenly shorthanded in the backfield between Alvin Kamara’s suspension and Jamaal Williams’ injury, though they could elevate Tony Jones Jr. from the practice squad one more time before they’re forced to add him to the 53-man roster outright. Their only other runners are rookie draft pick Kendre Miller (who has been working his way back from an injury the last three weeks), fullback Adam Prentice, and do-it-all playmaker Taysom Hill, who led the team in rushing yards on Monday night.

With two open roster spots and Kamara returning after Sunday’s road game with the Green Bay Packers, that feels like the most-likely course of action. Rookie change-of-pace back Jordan Mims is also on the practice squad but could be subbed out for Merritt if he clears waivers and is willing to stay in New Orleans a while longer.

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Dennis Allen says RB Jamaal Williams could ‘take some time’ to recover from hamstring injury

Dennis Allen says running back Jamaal Williams could ‘take some time’ to recover from hamstring injury, expects Kendre Miller to be a ‘full go’ at practice

The New Orleans Saints can’t afford to take many more hits at running back. Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday that Jamaal Williams, one of their veteran free agent pickups this spring, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered early in Monday night’s win over the Carolina Panthers.

While he declined to share a specific timetable, Allen added that it may “take some time to get him back.” What that means is unclear, but it’s worth noting that Williams’ backup Kendre Miller suffered a hamstring injury two weeks before the regular season started and has yet to make his debut. These soft-tissue injuries are notoriously slow to heal.

But there’s some good news — Allen said that he expected Miller to be “full go” in practice this week after he was a limited participant a week ago, which certainly suggests he’ll be available for their upcoming game with the Green Bay Packers. With Williams out of action and Alvin Kamara finishing the final week of his three-game suspension, it sounds like Miller could be headed for a heavy workload if his body can handle it.

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Tony Jones Jr. picked the perfect time to score his first two NFL touchdowns

Tony Jones Jr. picked the perfect time to score his first two NFL touchdowns. The veteran backup stepped up when the Saints needed him most:

Tony Jones Jr. probably didn’t wake up Monday morning expecting to play his best game in the NFL. Or maybe he did. The fourth-year pro certainly picked the perfect time to score his first touchdown in the NFL, hammering in a scoring run from the goal line against the Carolina Panthers.

Then he did it again, helping the New Orleans Saints knock off the Carolina Panthers in a 20-17 win that wasn’t as close as that final tally might lead you to believe. Either way, for Jones, the timing couldn’t have been better.

Jones reflected on his big day after the game, noting that he grabbed the best birthday present for his wife with that first scoring run: “I don’t care what I got to do, I’m scoring this one. Four years in the league, man. It takes a while, but it’s here. I scored on my wife’s birthday tomorrow! That ball was for her.”

So it’s fortunate that he happened to score again, meaning Jones and his wife will have a matching set of game balls: “But that second one, that’s mine.”

Jones first signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame back in the 2020 season. He hung around for a while, only to be claimed off waivers by the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. The Denver Broncos signed him as a free agent this offseason, but he wasn’t brought back after roster cuts, and the Saints re-signed him to their own practice squad to open the 2023 season.

He’s been activated for each of their first two games, but he didn’t figure to see a heavy workload after totaling 9 snaps on offense in Week 1. But between an in-game injury to Jamaal Williams, Alvin Kamara’s ongoing suspension, rookie draft pick Kendre Miller being held out with his own injury, and the odd decision to deactivate Kirk Merritt, Jones suddenly found himself in the starting lineup midway through the second quarter.

And he responded by making the most of what his line blocked for him and, ultimately, punching in a pair of tough touchdown runs against a challenging Panthers defensive front. Jones deserves a ton of credit for stepping up in this situation. Players on the fringe of a roster like him don’t get many opportunities like this, and he seized it with both hands. Good for him.

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Saints elevate two practice squad players for Week 2 vs. Panthers

The Saints are elevating practice squad running back Tony Jones Jr. again for Week 2, suggesting Kendre Miller will have to wait a little longer to make his debut:

The New Orleans Saints announced they are elevating practice squad running back Tony Jones Jr. again for Week 2’s game with the Carolina Panthers on Monday night, suggesting Kendre Miller will have to wait a little longer to make his debut.

Jones gained 5 yards on his sole rushing attempt in Week 1 but totaled just 7 snaps on offense in the game while playing behind Jamaal Williams. If Miller’s injured hamstring is going to keep him on the sidelines again this week, expect a similar workload for the veteran backup. Miller practiced on a limited basis and is officially questionable to play.

But this isn’t the only roster move the Saints are making at the last minute. They’ve also elevated practice squad linebacker Ty Summers after an injury took Ryan Connelly out of action; Summers re-signed with the Saints early last week. Connelly has been a core special teams player for New Orleans and played 21 of their 24 snaps in the kicking game last week prior to his injury, so look for Summers to fill in there. Summers carved out a role for himself in special teams late last season.

Saints’ 53-man roster and practice squad elevations for Week 2 at Panthers

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Saints elevate two practice squad players for Week 1 kickoff vs. Titans

The Saints elevated two practice squad players for their Week 1 kickoff game with the Titans — including a veteran linebacker, but maybe not who you think:

A veteran linebacker has been called up from the New Orleans Saints practice squad for Week 1’s kickoff game with the Tennessee Titans, but it isn’t who you’re probably thinking of. The Saints declared linebacker Ryan Connelly and running back Tony Jones Jr. as their two allotted game-week standard elevations on Saturday, giving both pros a chance to play on Sunday.

Why Connelly and not Jaylon Smith, the former Pro Bowler and fan-favorite? Saints coach Dennis Allen has made it clear that a role on special teams will be required for any backup linebacker on the active roster, and that’s an area where Connelly shined over the summer with 32 snaps covering punts and kickoffs in two preseason games. Smith didn’t play a single snap in the kicking game in preseason. With Demario Davis and Pete Werner starting any of their backups must help out in the game’s third phase to justify a spot on the active roster.

That’s not to say Smith won’t find a role on this team sooner or later. If he can match Zack Baun’s productivity on the strong side he could climb the depth chart in a hurry, though most of his career thus far has been spent at middle linebacker. Fans may not see much of him unless Davis or Werner goes down with an injury. Hopefully he can find a way onto the field that doesn’t require that.

What about Jones? The Saints brought back their former backup after the Denver Broncos released him during roster cuts and he could play this week. Rookie running back Kendre Miller is questionable with a hamstring injury that’s kept him out of practice for two weeks and it might make more sense to rest him a little longer while having Jones and Kirk Merritt back up Jamaal Williams. The backfield is still missing Alvin Kamara, but Jones is someone the Saints have expressed confidence in as an experienced pro who knows what’s expected of him.

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