NewOrleansSaints.com will look at each position group on the Saints roster over the summer. So far we have looked at eight groups: Tight Ends, Safeties, Quarterbacks, Defensive Linemen, Specialists, Cornerbacks, Wide Receivers and Linebackers.
This week we look at the Saints backfield:
Saints Backfield (11)
| # | PLAYER | POS | HT | WT | AGE | YRS | COLLEGE |
| 43 | Joique Bell | RB | 5-11 | 220 | 24 | 2 | Wayne State |
| 46 | Ladell Betts | RB | 5-11 | 224 | 31 | 10 | Iowa |
| 25 | Reggie Bush | RB | 6-0 | 203 | 26 | 6 | Southern California |
| 44 | Heath Evans | FB | 6-0 | 250 | 32 | 11 | Auburn |
| 30 | Lynell Hamilton | RB | 6-0 | 235 | 25 | 3 | San Diego State |
| TBD | Mark Ingram | RB | 5-9 | 215 | 21 | R | Alabama |
| 29 | Chris Ivory | RB | 6-0 | 222 | 23 | 2 | Tiffin |
| 21 | Julius Jones | RB | 5-10 | 208 | 29 | 8 | Notre Dame |
| 36 | Chris Taylor | RB | 6-0 | 224 | 27 | 4 | Indiana |
| 23 | Pierre Thomas | RB | 5-11 | 215 | 26 | 5 | Illinois |
| 35 | DeShawn Wynn | RB | 5-10 | 232 | 27 | 5 | Florida |
2011 Saints Running Back Rushing Stats
| PLAYER | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| Ladell Betts | 45 | 150 | 3.3 | 12 | 2 |
| Reggie Bush | 36 | 150 | 4.5 | 23 | - |
| Heath Evans | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 |
| Chris Ivory | 137 | 716 | 5.2 | 55T | 5 |
| Julius Jones | 48 | 193 | 4.0 | 54 | - |
| Pierre Thomas | 83 | 269 | 3.2 | 16 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 351 | 1,480 | 4.2 | 55T | 10 |
#43 Joique Bell
Did you know?
*He joined the Saints following the conclusion of the 2010 regular season and spent time on the rosters of Philadelphia and Indianapolis as a rookie.
*He played in 44 career games (42 starts), compiling 8,055 all-purpose yards and 576 points (88 rushing TDs, eight receiving TDs), ranking him ninth and fifth, respectively, in NCAA history at Wayne State.
Career Stats:None
#43 Ladell Betts
Did you know?
*The former Iowa standout has appeared in 111 games with 14 starts.
*He has a 24.0 career kickoff return average with one touchdown.
*Had a career-best eight receptions for 48 yards, vs. Cleveland on Oct. 24, 2010.
*Led Iowa in rushing four consecutive years and was voted second-team All-Big Ten by league's coaches following senior season.
Career Rushing Stats:
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LNG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 45 | 150 | 3.3 | 12 | 2 |
| 2009 - WAS | 56 | 210 | 3.8 | 18 | 2 |
| 2008 - WAS | 61 | 206 | 3.4 | 14 | 1 |
| 2007 - WAS | 93 | 335 | 3.6 | 20 | 1 |
| 2006 - WAS | 245 | 1,154 | 4.7 | 26 | 4 |
| 2005 - WAS | 89 | 338 | 3.8 | 22 | 1 |
| 2004 - WAS | 90 | 371 | 4.1 | 27 | 1 |
| 2003 - WAS | 77 | 255 | 3.3 | 13T | 2 |
| 2002 - WAS | 65 | 307 | 4.7 | 27 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 821 | 3,326 | 4.1 | 27 | 15 |
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LNG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 23 | 141 | 6.1 | 25 | - |
| 2009 - WAS | 17 | 179 | 10.5 | 25 | - |
| 2008 - WAS | 22 | 200 | 9.1 | 27 | - |
| 2007 - WAS | 21 | 174 | 8.3 | 28 | 1 |
| 2006 - WAS | 53 | 445 | 8.4 | 34 | 1 |
| 2005 - WAS | 10 | 78 | 7.8 | 26 | 1 |
| 2004 - WAS | 15 | 108 | 7.2 | 20 | - |
| 2003 - WAS | 15 | 167 | 11.1 | 34 | - |
| 2002 - WAS | 12 | 154 | 12.8 | 40 | - |
| TOTAL | 188 | 1,646 | 8.8 | 40 | 3 |
#25 Reggie Bush
Did you know?
*His 294 career receptions are more than any running back in the league since he was drafted in 2006, also the fifth-most in club record books.
*His 88 receptions as a rookie is a NFL record for a first-year running back.
*He's one of only six players to have multiple seasons with a rushing, receiving and punt return for a touchdown (2006 and 2008).
Career Rushing Stats:
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TD |
| 2010 - NO | 36 | 150 | 4.2 | 23 | - |
| 2009 - NO | 70 | 390 | 5.6 | 55 | 5 |
| 2008 - NO | 106 | 404 | 3.8 | 43 | 2 |
| 2007 - NO | 157 | 581 | 3.7 | 22 | 4 |
| 2006 - NO | 155 | 565 | 3.6 | 18 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 524 | 2,090 | 4.0 | 55 | 17 |
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TD |
| 2010 - NO | 34 | 208 | 6.1 | 20 | 1 |
| 2009 - NO | 47 | 335 | 7.1 | 29 | 3 |
| 2008 - NO | 52 | 440 | 8.5 | 42T | 4 |
| 2007 - NO | 73 | 417 | 5.7 | 25 | 2 |
| 2006 - NO | 88 | 742 | 8.4 | 74 | 2 |
| TOTAL - | 294 | 2,142 | 7.3 | 74 | 12 |
#44 Heath Evans
Did you know?
*He was the 2010 recipient of the Saints' Ed Block Courage Award after a successful comeback from a torn ACL in 2009.
*In his debut as a Saint, he had a career-high four catches for 35 yards, including a 13-yard screen pass for a TD against the Lions on Sept. 13, 2009.
*He was the first fullback taken in the 2001 NFL Draft.
*He was a three-year letterman at Auburn (1998-2000), playing in 28 games and starting 16.
*He and his wife, Beth Ann, have two daughters, Ava and Naomi.
Career Rushing Stats:
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 2 | - |
| 2009 - NO | 5 | 16 | 3.2 | 6 | 1 |
| 2008 - NE | 11 | 23 | 2.1 | 4 | - |
| 2007 - NE | 34 | 121 | 3.6 | 11 | 3 |
| 2006 - NE | 27 | 117 | 4.3 | 35 | - |
| 2005 - MIA | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | - | - |
| 2005 - NE | 51 | 192 | 3.8 | 21 | - |
| 2004 - SEA | 7 | 20 | 2.9 | 7 | - |
| 2003 - SEA | 7 | 24 | 3.4 | 8 | - |
| 2002 - SEA | 17 | 53 | 3.1 | 8 | - |
| 2001 - SEA | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 7 | - |
| TOTAL | 164 | 579 | 3.5 | 35 | 4 |
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 7 | 41 | 5.9 | 18 | 1 |
| 2009 - NO | 10 | 70 | 7.0 | 13T | 2 |
| 2008 - NE | 3 | 59 | 19.7 | 28 | - |
| 2007 - NE | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 29 | - |
| 2006 - NE | 7 | 34 | 4.9 | 11 | 1 |
| 2005 - MIA | 4 | 17 | 4.3 | 5 | - |
| 2005 - NE | 10 | 88 | 8.8 | 19 | - |
| 2004 - SEA | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 9 | - |
| 2003 - SEA | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 20 | - |
| 2002 - SEA | 8 | 41 | 5.1 | 13 | - |
| 2001 - SEA | - | - | - | - | - |
| TOTAL | 57 | 439 | 7.7 | 29 | 4 |
#30 Lynell Hamilton
Did you know?
*In his first NFL start at Buffalo on Sept. 27, 2009, he ran for 24 yards on five carries, including a one-yard TD.
*He led the Saints in rushing in the 2009 preseason, carrying 40 times for 177 yards (4.4 avg.).
*In four years at San Diego State, he had 2,052 rushing yards on 480 carries for 14 touchdowns and caught 57 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns.
Career Rushing Stats:
YEAR CAR YDs AVG LG TDs 2010 - NO - - - - - 2009 - NO 35 125 3.6 19 2 2008 - NO - - - - - TOTAL 35 125 3.6 19 2
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 - NO | 5 | 48 | 9.6 | 16 | - |
| 2008 - NO | - | - | - | - | - |
| TOTAL | 5 | 48 | 9.6 | 16 | - |
Mark Ingram
**
**
Did you know?
*He shattered school records at Alabama with 1,658 rushing yards on 271 carries with 17 touchdowns for Alabama's 2009 National Championship squad.
*He only turned the ball over twice during his career at Alabama in which he got the ball 634 times (572, rushes, 60 receptions and two kickoff returns)
*His 42 touchdown runs at Alabama broke Shaun Alexander's previous school all-time record (41; 1996-99) and tied Anthony Dixon of Mississippi State for seventh (2006-09) in SEC annals.
Rushing Stats (at Alabama):
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2008 | 143 | 743 | 5.1 | 40 | 12 |
| 2009 | 271 | 1,678 | 6,1 | 70 | 17 |
| 2010 | 158 | 903 | 5.5 | 54 | 13 |
| TOTAL | 572 | 3,324 | 5.8 | 70 | 42 |
Receiving Stats (at Alabama):
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2008 | 7 | 54 | 7.7 | 27 | - |
| 2009 | 32 | 334 | 10.4 | 69 | 3 |
| 2010 | 21 | 282 | 13.4 | 78 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 60 | 670 | 11.2 | 78 | 4 |
#29 Chris Ivory
**
**
Did you know?
*He finished 2010 ranked fourth in the NFL in yards per carry (5.2) and his rushing total (716) was ranked second among NFL rookies, the fourth-highest single-season total by a Saints rookie.
*He ranked No. 2 in ProFootballFocus.com's rankings of most elusive running backs in 2010, behind fellow undrafted rookie LaGarrette Blount of the Buccaneers.
*He made the Sporting News All-Rookie Team and Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie squad.
Career Rushing Stats:
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 | 137 | 716 | 5.2 | 55T | 5 |
Career Receiving Stats:
YEAR REC YDs AVG LG TDs 2010 1 17 17.0 17 -
#21 Julius Jones
Did you know?
*He has played in 94 games (77 starts) that included stays in Dallas, Seattle and New Orleans.
*In the NFC Wild Card Playoff at Seattle on Jan. 8, he carried 15 times for 59 yards with two TDs, the first two of his postseason career and had six receptions for 61 yards, including playoff career-long 33 yard grab.
*He is one of four runners in Notre Dame history to rush for over 3,000 yards.
Career Rushing Stats:
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 48 | 193 | 4.0 | 54 | - |
| 2010 - SEA | 12 | 30 | 2.5 | 6 | - |
| 2009 - SEA | 177 | 663 | 3.7 | 62T | 2 |
| 2008 - SEA | 158 | 698 | 4.4 | 33 | 2 |
| 2007 - DAL | 164 | 588 | 3.6 | 25 | 2 |
| 2006 - DAL | 267 | 1,084 | 4.1 | 77T | 4 |
| 2005 - DAL | 257 | 993 | 3.9 | 51 | 5 |
| 2004 - DAL | 197 | 819 | 4.2 | 53 | 7 |
| TOTAL | 1,280 | 5,068 | 4.0 | 77 | 22 |
Career Receiving Stats
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 17 | 59 | 3.5 | 13 | - |
| 2010 - SEA | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 - SEA | 35 | 232 | 6.6 | 49 | 2 |
| 2008 - SEA | 14 | 66 | 4.7 | 17 | - |
| 2007 - DAL | 23 | 203 | 8.8 | 24 | - |
| 2006 - DAL | 9 | 142 | 15.8 | 39 | - |
| 2005 - DAL | 35 | 218 | 6.2 | 26 | - |
| 2004 - DAL | 17 | 109 | 6.4 | 37 | - |
| TOTAL | 150 | 1,029 | 9.8 | 49 | 2 |
#36 Chris Taylor
Did you know?
*He spent most of the 2010 season on the Saints practice squad and signed with the Saints to reserve/futures contract on Jan. 13, 2011.
*Finished career at Indiana with 1,762 yards rushing on 402 carries and 12 touchdowns.
Career Rushing Stats:
YEAR CAR YDs AVG LG TDs 2010 - NO - - - - - 2009 - NE - - - - - 2008 - HOU 14 37 2.6 17 - 2007 - HOU - - - - - 2006 - HOU 28 123 4.4 17 1 TOTAL 42 160 3.8 1
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 - NE | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2008 - HOU | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007 - HOU | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2006 - HOU | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 24 | - |
| TOTAL | 3 | 40 | 13.3 | 24 | - |
#23 Pierre Thomas
Did you know?
*He is ranked third in club history with a 4.7 yards per carry average.
*ProFootballFocus.com ranked him No. 1 on its Best Drop Percentage Rankings of running backs from 2008-10 as he only dropped one of his 112 catchable passes during that time span.
*He was one of only two rookie free agents to make the Saints opening day roster in 2007.
*He threw out the first pitch at the White Sox-Indians game on April 9, 2010.
*He played 40 games at Illinois and ranks sixth in school's history with 2,545 rushing yards.
Career Rushing Stats:
YEAR CAR YDs AVG LG TDs 2010 - NO 83 269 3.2 16 2 2009 - NO 147 793 5.4 34T 6 2008 - NO 129 625 4.8 42T 9 2007 - NO 52 252 4.8 24T 1 TOTAL 411 1,939 4.7 42 18
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | 29 | 201 | 6.9 | 23 | - |
| 2009 - NO | 39 | 302 | 7.7 | 36 | 2 |
| 2008 - NO | 31 | 284 | 9.2 | 24 | 3 |
| 2007 - NO | 17 | 151 | 8.9 | 17 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 116 | 938 | 8.1 | 36 | 6 |
#35 DeShawn Wynn
Did you know?
*He has appeared in 23 games with four starts for Green Bay, New Orleans and San Francisco.
*Helped lead the University of Florida to the BCS National Championship in 2006, averaging 4.9 yards per carry as a senior to lead the Gators with 699 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Career Rushing Stats:
| YEAR | CAR | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO/GB | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 - GB | 6 | 19 | 3.2 | 6 | - |
| 2008 - GB | 8 | 110 | 13.8 | 73T | 1 |
| 2007 - GB | 50 | 203 | 4.1 | 44 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 64 | 332 | 5.2 | 73T | 5 |
Career Receiving Stats:
| YEAR | REC | YDs | AVG | LG | TDs |
| 2010 - NO | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 - NO | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 11 | - |
| 2008 - NO | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 16 | - |
| 2007 - NO | 94 | 73 | 8.1 | 18 | - |
| TOTAL | 14 | 122 | 8.7 | 18 | - |
