Alvin Kamara and the Saints remain in negotiations on an extension that would keep him in New Orleans long-term. While a trade rumor surfaced Tuesday, this situation does not appear to be contentious.
The three-time Pro Bowl back has not asked the Saints to pay him more than Christian McCaffrey, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (video link). McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64MM deal earlier this year.
However, the Kamara-Saints talks may have run into some hurdles. The Saints and Kamara were believed to be making progress, but Pelissero adds the talks “went a little bit sideways” recently. The Saints have proposed Kamara a four-year, $50MM deal, Jeff Duncan of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Those were the numbers that convinced Derrick Henry to sign a Titans extension in July. Kamara is set to make $2.1MM in base salary this season.
The team would prefer to keep its three-down weapon long-term but has broached the subject of a trade. New Orleans is not shopping Kamara, but if the team were to get serious on a trade, a first-round pick is the price. The Saints received a first-rounder for Brandin Cooks three years ago and collected a first-rounder and Max Unger for Jimmy Graham in 2015. The Saints have also traded both high-profile players who previously played Kamara’s role in Sean Payton‘s offense — Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles — though Kamara has outperformed both as a running back. New Orleans received little in compensation in the Bush or Sproles swaps.
Contract matters have not been entirely at the root of Kamara’s practice absences. A back injury has sidelined him, per Pelissero, who adds Kamara intends to return to practice Wednesday. He received an epidural injection recently. Kamara missed time due to ankle and knee problems last season.
McCaffrey, Henry and Joe Mixon agreed to new deals this year, helping stabilize a running back market reeling from the disappointments the Todd Gurley, David Johnson and Le’Veon Bell deals brought. Any Kamara talks will surely involve a contract north of Mixon’s $12MM-per-year deal. With Kamara averaging more yards per touch than McCaffrey over the course of his career, and making three Pro Bowls to McCaffrey’s one, the Saints back has a case to land a contract near the Panthers star’s territory. Such demands would put the Saints to a decision, but Kamara’s importance to this season’s Super Bowl-contending roster would seemingly increase his leverage in these talks.
No one is paying a 1st for a RB that has been worn out. Look no further than Yannick. a 2nd and change for a sack master.
sack master… idk… once in 4 years had over 10 sacks.
Fair enough. Are you saying the Jags won that trade over the Vikes? I’d flip a 2nd for continual 8 sacks a season.
it has nothing to do about the trade bud. u said sack master and i disagreed… that’s all. never said anything about who won or lost a trade.
anyway… yes Vikings won. sack master, i don’t think so.
How do they win flipping a 2nd for a non sack master then?
17.8 mill for 8 sacks and a second rounder. Too much
10 mill or whatever the reduced price was for 8 sacks and a second rounder? More reasonable.
He’ll get to face marginal Lion and Bear OLs twice a season so there’s a potential for more than 8 sacks. Neither Stafford or Foles are particularly mobile.
Saints are similar to the pats in making no name players house hold names and then flipping them. I think kamara would be lucky to get 50 million on the open market and have doubt how he would hang as he is not a bell cow back as others mentioned. Saints should go grab fournette and trade kamara for additional assets.
He’d get it, but would he get a second contract? That’s the real question.
I agree with you, especially considering that Kamara has done his best work in a tandem. Murray cannot run between the tackles like Ingram could, which is why Kamara’s stats were not as good last year (also Brees being gone, of course). Kamara deserves anextrnsion, but I just think that his timing is bad. End of the year, after Brees retires and they possibly win a ring or make a deep run? Perfect. But as of now, when that extra money could help Kamara get a ring? I’m no NFL player, much less an agent, but I’d give it until the end of the year.
My gfs family are die hard saints fans, tbh when brees goes so does the team. Brees made careers for graham and Colton, joe horn you name it. I think he signed for a year after this one if I’m correct.
Kamara like you stated isn’t a featured back like McCaffery or henry so I think 50 is more than fair for a split back. The least of the saints problems is in the run game then need depth at wr and the dline maybe even cb and obviously a qb.
teams also might be wary, given a lack of fans this year, to spend big due to lack of revenue. MLB free agents are facing the same thing granted with a extremely shortened reg season. I think his agent and him see this and would take the pay day sooner rather than later. Also he’s an RB, a great one no doubt, but they have a short shelf life and most teams don’t like to shell big paydays because of that. But being a franchise player on one team, hes sold a lot of jerseys, helps his cause….
I think McCaffery is more talented, I think Jonathan Stewart vultured a lot of his work his rookie year and then he busted out in a big way last year. Kamara certainly has a similar in skill set. I think a price tag just below McCaffery would be fair. Just don’t know how the saints make it work. They always seem to be in a cap crunch.
What, if any interest, do the Saints have in either:
Theodore Kamara
or
Simon Kamara ??
as a super saints fan, trade this man. saints cap space is extremely limited. Brees has a player option next year just like the end of 2018 season. if he retires we are stuck with Kamara likely overpaid contract. If we do try and go for it in 2021, we will be weaker since we added 10 million of our cap to Kamara which is insane. After last season, continued regression since he came in the league, more than a 2 yr 16 -18 mill deal to prove he is worth it, is too much. He wont take that deal ever, so trade him
keep in mind, kamra was not top 20 in touchdowns or yards last year, was 13th in yards per carry, was tied for 3rd for most fumbles in 14 games, hurt for 2.5 games. paying him 8 to 9 million would make him 7-9th highest paid rb around levels of kenyan drake and melvin gordon and ahead of Saquon, Ekeler, Gurley, Duke, etc. Paying him top tier is pretending this is 3 years ago when he avg 6.1 yards a carry as a rookie, stop it. his receptions have been carried by lack of receiving talent in new orleans and that will definitely drop next season with Sanders and the talent of TE Cook.