The New Orleans Saints ended their offseason program with a bang. While it seemed like the team would head into the final break quiet, star running back Alvin Kamara had other plans, deciding to leave before the final practice of mandatory minicamp. Kamara’s agent quickly made it known that the departure was contract related.
With Kamara essentially entering the final season of his current deal— because he’s due $25 million in 2025 —the running back is reportedly seeking a reworked deal or an extension. However, Kamara and the organization aren’t on the same page, and that’s why the running back decided to make a statement by departing.
Looking at the situation from afar, it may be easy to say the Saints should just move on from Kamara. He’s a running back that turns 29 at the start of training camp, and there are already claims that he’s not the player he once was. Additionally, the Saints are seemingly headed toward a rebuild, so they might as well kick it off by trading Kamara.
If New Orleans is going to commit to a rebuild, Kamara should absolutely be traded. However, the Saints have made it clear that they’re still trying to compete and win games. As long as winning is the goal, they absolutely need to keep Kamara on the roster. A look back at the last few seasons proves that to be true.
If Saints are serious about winning, they must keep Alvin Kamara around
Simply put, Alvin Kamara has a big impact on winning. That’s been the case all throughout his career, but it’s especially been true in the last three rocky seasons for New Orleans. Over the last three years, Kamara has played in 41 games; the Saints are 22-19. In the 10 games Kamara missed over that same span, New Orleans is 3-7.
It seems obvious that not having one of the most talented offensive weapons on the field would negatively impact winning, but seeing the numbers really captures the picture. The Saints need to get the picture and figure out a way to get things right with Kamara. Whether it’s an extension or guaranteeing him more money for the 2024 season, New Orleans needs an excited Kamara in the backfield so the team can win games.
