The New Orleans Saints are hoping to enter a new era of success after hiring Kellen Moore as the team’s head coach. Moore is coming off a dominant Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles in which he rode the team’s running game to great effect. Now Moore hopes to establish the run with the Saints. And New Orleans is building depth at the position by re-signing a veteran rusher.

The Saints inked running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire to a one-year deal, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter on X. After winning back-to-back championships with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and 2023, CEH landed in New Orleans in 2024. Now he’ll return to the Saints next season.

The Chiefs selected Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 draft out of LSU. The team hoped he would fill the void after Kareem Hunt’s departure the previous year. However, the ascension of Isiah Pacheco and the return of Hunt this season made Edwards-Helaire expendable and the Chiefs released him after Week 15 . Despite re-signing with KC prior to the season, CEH didn’t log a single carry for the team in 2024 before being waived.

The Saints will bring Clyde Edwards-Helaire back next season

Following his departure from Kansas City, Edwards-Helaire signed with the Saints. New Orleans was looking for help behind five-time Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara, who missed the final three games of the 2024 campaign with a groin injury. While the Saints represented a big step down from the Chiefs, as the team had already been eliminated from playoff contention and finished the season with a 5-12 record, at least Edwards-Helaire would have an opportunity to play. And he was back in Louisiana, where he starred with the LSU Tigers.

CEH had 70 total yards on 13 carries and three receptions over two games to help the Saints close out the year. Now he’ll be a part of Moore’s attempt at reviving the franchise. New Orleans has missed the playoffs in each of the last four seasons and the team fired head coach Dennis Allen after Week 9, replacing him with special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi on an interim basis.

The Saints now hope to move forward under Moore, who held coordinator positions with the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers and Eagles. While Kamara signed a two-year, $24.5 million extension in October, Edwards-Helaire will offer depth for what should be a vastly improved offense in New Orleans.