Saints news: Taysom Hill replacements, injury updates and playoff math

Replacing an offensive weapon as talented and versatile as Taysom Hill would be difficult for a good team, much less a struggling one like the 4-8 New Orleans Saints.

Hill, who was lost for the season on Sunday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, played running back, tight end, Wildcat quarterback, kick returner and on punt coverage. In eight games this season, he rushed 39 times for 278 yards and caught 23 balls for 187 yards.

"There are going to be a lot of different guys that we're going to have to be a part of the solution there," Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi said. "He fills so many different roles."

Help has arrived, though. Saints second-year running back Kendre Miller is expected to play at the New York Giants on Sunday in his first action since Oct. 27 when he suffered a hamstring injury. Previous Saints coach Dennis Allen was aggravated with Miller because of what he viewed as a tendency toward injuries as Miller injured the other hamstring during training camp and missed time with (knee, ankle and hamstring injuries in 2023. So, Allen often criticized Miller and put him on injured reserve this season when he likely did not have to. Miller says he was in Allen's doghouse.

Allen was fired on Nov. 4, and Miller is back healthy and ready to show what he can do now for Rizzi, who told Miller he has a "clean slate." Miller said he could've played after the hamstring injury. And Rizzi says he has no doghouse.

"Whatever grudge, or if there was a grudge, he (Rizzi) was like, 'It doesn't matter.' He's letting me loose," Miller said after practicing fully on Wednesday.

"It's your job to prove those things wrong," Rizzi said he told Miller.

The last time Miller was loose long enough, he gained 73 yards on 13 carries for a 5.6-yard average with a 3-yard touchdown and caught a 6-yard pass in a 48-17 win over Atlanta in the finale last season. A third-round pick in 2023 out of TCU, he gained 156 yards on 41 rushes in seven games and caught 10 passes for 117 yards. This season because of two hamstring injuries and Allen's doghouse, Miller has only played in two games, gaining 52 yards on nine carries.

"His vision, his downhill running, his ability to make people miss, hitting the hole and on the perimeter, he has always been impressive," Saints' second-year quarterback Derek Carr said. "You add a good player, it's a good thing for your team."

With Miller potentially taking care of some of Hill's runs behind No. 1 back Alvin Kamara, the Saints will also have rookie wide receiver Bub Means back. He is also expected to play for the first time since Oct. 27 because of an ankle injury. He practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday. Means, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft from Pittsburgh, has caught nine passes for 118 yards with a touchdown this season.

A third player who could help fill the void of Hill is tight end Foster Moreau, who has caught five passes for 56 yards in the Saints' last two games and has 17 receptions on the season for 223 yards and three touchdowns. He practiced on a limited basis Wednesday with a shoulder injury.

Other injury updates

Starting center Erik McCoy (groin) and starting left guard Lucas Patrick (calf) each practiced on a limited basis Wednesday after missing Sunday's loss against the Rams. Starting right guard Cesar Ruiz did not practice Wednesday because of a concussion suffered in the Rams game. Backup guard Nick Saldiveri (knee) also did not practice.

Playoff math

The Saints may be 4-8, but they are in the NFL's worst division — the NFC South, which is the only division without a winning team. Atlanta and Tampa Bay are tied for the lead at 6-6 with the Saints right behind them and ahead of 3-9 Carolina.

New Orleans would likely need to go 5-0 to finish 9-8 and hope the other division teams lose. The Saints have split with the Falcons and can earn a split with Tampa Bay on the road in the season finale. After the Giants, the Saints host Washington (8-5), play at Green Bay (9-3) and host Las Vegas (2-10).

"We've still got a very legitimate chance at the division," Rizzi said.

Not according to the New York Times' playoff predictor — which has the Saints with a 20 percent chance of making the postseason.