Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook agree to five-year mega extensions

CINCINNATI — Two star running backs are getting paid before the start of the 2020 NFL season.

The New Orleans Saints have agreed to a five-year, $75 million extension with Alvin Kamara according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The deal ties Kamara to the Saints for the next six seasons and includes a $15 million signing bonus. The contract has over $34 million in guarantees.

Kamara isn't the only running back that got paid. Minnesota agreed to a five-year, $63 million extension with Dalvin Cook.

Cook's signing bonus is worth $15.5 million, which is the largest for a non-quarterback in Vikings history. Both running backs were entering the final years of their contracts.

Kamara and Cook were part of the amazing 2017 running back class that included Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Cincinnati signed him to a four-year, $48 million extension earlier this month. That deal already looks like a good value when compared to Cook or Kamara's new contract.

Mixon is the only one of the three to top the 1,000 yard rushing mark in each of the last two seasons. He's been more durable than Cook and Kamara, but hasn't been as involved in the Bengals passing game.

That's the key to Cincinnati maximizing his value. They need to get Mixon more involved in the air, which is something the Saints have done with Kamara.

Kamara has had 81 catches in each of his first three NFL seasons. Mixon has never caught more than 43 balls in a season.

The Bengals plan on getting him more involved. Only time will tell if that's the case.

Nevertheless, this 2017 NFL Draft class of running backs continues to get paid.

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