METAIRIE, Louisiana – The New Orleans Saints officially have running back Alvin Kamara and receivers Michael Thomas and Deonte Harris back in the active squad in time for Sunday’s playoff opening against the Chicago Bears.
Three were activated for the Saints squad on Saturday, along with cornerback Patrick Robinson.
Kamara has been out of the reserve / COVID-19 list since last Thursday. Thomas (ankle) and Harris (neck) spent the last three weeks on the reserve due to injuries.
The Santos (12-4) hope that Thomas is as healthy as he has been since week 1, after they decided to let him rest for the playoffs. Thomas, who has lost a total of nine games this season with the injury, played just 10 quarters throughout the season with defender Drew Brees, who lost four games in November and December because of a punctured lung and 11 broken ribs.
“It’s hard to believe,” said Brees of the limited time he spent on the field with Thomas, his receiver. “And, once again, a testimony to our team and to all the guys who stood out and played such an important role here.
“I’m excited to have Mike back. Excited by Alvin with what he went through recently, and just for our entire team.”
Receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who also lost two games on the reserve / COVID-19 list, said at the beginning of last week that it was “the perfect time” for the Saints’ attack to be as complete and healthy as it has been since the first week.
“If you wanted to predict how, ‘How would you like the team to be in terms of where in the season you would like everyone to be back healthy and ready to go?’ You would say it’s the start of the playoffs, “said Sanders.” And, hopefully, we all just last this whole playoff sequence. You know, one game at a time, obviously. But we have the Bears coming and we’re back in full swing.
“We got Mike. We got Deonte back. Obviously, we’re still missing. [injured receiver Tre’Quan Smith]. But to have these two guys back in training and see them healthy and refreshed, and see them fly around … it’s good to know that we’re going to get in the game with these guys. “
Kamara, who was elected the second All-Pro team on Friday, was arguably the most valuable player in the Saints this season – especially considering the other absences in the attack. He led the NFL with 21 touchdowns and finished third in the league with 1,688 yards of scrimmage.
Kamara played six touchdowns in his most recent game, against the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day, to equalize a 91-year-old NFL record.
Thomas, who was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year last season after setting a league record with 149 catches, had just 40 receptions for 438 yards with no touchdown in seven games this season. However, he had three games with at least eight receptions and two games with more than 100 receiving yards, while Taysom Hill was the quarterback for Weeks 11-14.
The Saints finished fifth in the NFL in points per game (30.1) and 12th in the NFL in yards per game (376.4) this season. They finished sixth in the league in running yards (141.6 per game) – the highest total since 1983.
It was the highest running average and the lowest passing yard average (234.9 per game) in the Brees / Sean Payton era.
In other deals on Saturday, the Saints officially put veteran guard Nick Easton in reserve due to a concussion after he started nine games this season. They dismissed receiver Jake Kumerow. And they elevated WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey and LB Chase Hansen from the training team.