Alvin Kamara was one of the key players in turning the New Orleans Saints franchise around. I, along with many other fans, love what Kamarra brings to the football field and would prefer if he retires as a member of this team. However, there has been a concerning rumor going around that we might be nearing the end of Kamara’s time in New Orleans.
The Backstory Behind New Kamara Rumors
The Saints and Kamara have been discussing a new contract all offseason now. There was a brief point in time when Kamara wasn’t at practice, though he didn’t skip anything mandatory and played through the negotiations. As of right now, there have reportedly been zero movements on a potential new deal, and it makes you wonder if there are even negotiations still ongoing, or if they’ve delayed them entirely. Either way, Kamara would prefer not to go anywhere. Last offseason he said, “I want a lifetime contract. I want to be here forever. I love it here.” This was shortly after defensive end Cameron Jordan said something similar.
Unfortunately, looking at the fact that a new contract hasn’t been settled, the potential for Kamara to leave is always a real possibility. Earlier today, a report confirmed that Alvin Kamara did put his house up for sale in the New Orleans area. Now, this could mean absolutely nothing. Some fans have thrown out their wishful thinking by saying that he’s just upgrading his current house. While I’d love to think that’s the case, I do have my worries as to what this could mean. I’ve seen reports claiming that Kamara could be traded any day now before the season begins, with some stating that the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers could be possible destinations.
Trading Alvin Kamara Just Doesn’t Make Sense
Here are my thoughts, there is zero reason to trade Kamara. The value for him probably won’t be too high given the contract situation combined with his age and the position that he plays. Plus, if you remove Kamara from this offense, who exactly is going to be threatening here? Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed are great talents alongside Taysom Hill, but the depth is not good here. If either Olave or Shaheed goes down, the receiver room looks significantly worse for Derek Carr. It’s the same if Kamara gets traded. Jamaal Williams, Kendre Miller, and Jordan Mims would be the backs left. Williams is very obviously not as effective as Kamara in both the pass and run game, Miller can’t even play three consecutive games without dealing with an injury, and Mims is mostly an unknown.
As a true Saints fan, it doesn’t feel right to trade Alvin Kamara after what he’s done for this organization. As an everyday sports analyst, a trade including Kamara makes no sense for the Saints. Giving up one of the focal points of your offense for what is likely to be a minimal return isn’t worth it. This team needs all the help they can get offensively, trading Kamarra right when you bring in a new offensive coordinator would feel like a slap in the face to the fans.