Who Should I Start? Devin Neal or Brashard Smith

Tuesday, October 13, 7:20 AM

The Washington Commanders are signing former New Orleans Saints running back Devin Neal to their practice squad, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. A sixth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Neal appeared in 10 games with three starts as a rookie, rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 57 carries while adding 17 receptions for 104 yards. His season ended in December after he suffered a hamstring injury, and he eventually reached an injury settlement with New Orleans in September. The 23-year-old briefly joined Minnesota's practice squad before being released on October 6. Neal now lands in a Washington backfield featuring Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, and Austin Ekeler, leaving him with no immediate path to meaningful offensive touches. He showed some ability to handle a larger workload when injuries created opportunities with the Saints last season, but he'll need to earn a promotion from the practice squad before competing for playing time. Neal has no immediate redraft appeal, although he's worth monitoring if Washington's backfield situation changes.