New Orleans Saints at a Crossroads with Alvin Kamara
New Orleans, La. -- The New Orleans Saints find themselves at a critical juncture with their star running back, Alvin Kamara. Kamara's status moving forward remains uncertain after skipping the final practice of minicamp last week, raising questions about his future with the team.
According to his agent, Brad Cicala, Kamara's early departure from minicamp was due to contract-related issues. Although Kamara did not attend OTAs this offseason, he has followed a consistent routine of returning for mandatory minicamp over the past few years. Despite the recent uncertainty, Kamara expressed last year that he desires to remain in New Orleans for the long term.
A Key Piece of the Saints' Offense
Kamara is expected to be a focal point of the Saints' 2024 offense under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Kamara has thrived in past Saints offenses, notably catching at least 80 passes in each of his first four seasons and scoring double-digit touchdowns in 2017, 2018, and 2020.
Kubiak, who served as the San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator last season, saw running back Christian McCaffrey thrive under his system, rushing for a career-high 1,459 yards. The 28-year-old McCaffrey, a first-round pick for the Carolina Panthers in 2017, received a two-year extension in June that will pay him an average of $19 million and guarantee him $24 million.
Kamara, who turns 29 on July 25, is one year older than McCaffrey. According to the Roster Management System, running backs with at least four seasons of 100 rushing attempts peak at age 27 and steadily decline in yards after that age. Rushing attempts also peak at 27, while rushing average peaks between ages 24-26.
Factors Affecting Kamara's Performance
Several external factors contributed to Kamara's statistical decline in recent seasons. He was suspended for the first three games of the 2023 season for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Additionally, the Saints struggled with offensive line issues and had trouble scoring in the red zone during the first half of the season.
Kamara's cap number of $18.55 million in 2024 is the highest on the team due to previous contract restructures in 2022 and 2023. A restructure would not provide Kamara with any new money but would temporarily create cap space by converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus. This move would lower his cap number for the current year while increasing it in future years.
Financial Implications and Future Outlook
If the Saints chose to release Kamara in 2025 without altering his contract, they could save anywhere from $18.9 million to $25 million against the salary cap. However, this number is influenced by Kamara's inflated $22.4 million base salary for 2025, which would likely be addressed if Kamara remains with the team. The Saints have about a month before they report to training camp in Irvine, California.
Notably, Kamara missed five practices at the end of the 2020 offseason before receiving a new contract. He is currently signed through the 2025 season.
Quotes
Saints head coach Dennis Allen commented on Kamara's recent absence, saying, "I haven't had a chance to talk to him so I'm not sure why he wasn't out here for the rest of practice."
Kamara himself has expressed a strong desire to remain with the Saints long-term, stating, "I want a lifetime contract. I want to be here forever."
Commenting on the new offensive system under Kubiak, Kamara said, "You look at the history of this offense, I'll just say it's good for the running back. You watch some of the past offenses that Klint has been able to operate and most recently, you look at Christian [McCaffrey] and what he was able to do. I'm excited for that."
He added, "I'm not a stat dude. I don't stack myself up against other guys. You talk about Christian and all, me and Christian talk. I enjoy watching him play. I enjoy when he's able to do the things he does. Personally, I enjoy when I'm having success. But I think my message has been the same since I've been here ... whatever's asked of me, I just do that."
New quarterback Derek Carr also shared his thoughts on Kamara, emphasizing his unique talent. "There was a play last year where I handed him the ball, and I remember I was like 'Well that's not open.' ... I turned around and he hit an explosive burst that I've never seen before. And when he showed up [at minicamp], I handed him the ball, and it just feels different."
Kubiak remains positive about Kamara's future with the team, explaining, "I have talked to him when he was here the last couple of days. He's been great, talked to him on the phone, even when he was gone [for OTAs]. We've been in constant communication."
The impending training camp will likely shed more light on Kamara's situation and his role in the Saints' offense moving forward, with both sides eager to resolve any outstanding contract issues and focus on the upcoming season.