Bills Named Landing Spot For Alvin Kamara Due to Coaching Staff Connection

NFL teams often make moves once the calendar turns to June, since it allows them to shed expensive salaries without crippling their salary cap. Teams can spread the dead cap hit over two years, which is why there were two big trades made on June 1 this year.

The Buffalo Bills didn't make a trade, but they were impacted by one of the moves. Wide receiver A.J. Brown was sent to their biggest AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots, giving them a legit WR1. Earlier that same day, the Los Angeles Rams were able to bring in Myles Garrett with the Cleveland Browns shedding his $40 million per year contract.

Things have slowed down since that day, but there are still a few names to watch as potential trade candidates. According to FOX Sports Greg Auman, one player who might be available could be an option for the Bills.

Auman named the best five remaining trade candidates and said Alvin Kamara makes sense for the Bills since he has ties to offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. Auman admits that Kamara isn't the same runner he once was, but he's still dangerous as a third-down back due to his receiving skills.

"POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Buffalo Bills, where former longtime Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is now the offensive coordinator," Auman wrote.

Alvin Kamara's history with Pete Carmichael

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara runs before a game against the San Francisco 49ers. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Carmichael spent 18 years on the Saints' coaching staff, including 15 as their offensive coordinator. He was in that role when Kamara was selected by New Orleans in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Kamara shared the backfield with Mark Ingram as a rookie, but still racked up a team-leading 1,554 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns. That earned him the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and established him as a dangerous dual-threat running back.

That was the first of seven years that Carmichael and Kamara spent working together. During that span, Kamara never had fewer than 1,000 yards from scrimmage and made the Pro Bowl five times.

Do the Bills need Alvin Kamara?

Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson carries the ball against the New York Jets. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

While Kamara has a recognizable name, he might not be an ideal fit for the Bills. In 2025, Kamara recorded career lows with 657 yards from scrimmage and just one touchdown. He also averaged 3.6 yards per rushing attempt and 5.6 per reception.

While he could still have value as a receiving back, Ty Johnson could be a superior option at this point. Johnson had fewer touches, finishing with 463 yards. Despite the lower yardage, he had five total touchdowns while averaging 4.0 yards per rushing attempt and 11.0 yards per reception.

Throw in the lower salary and rapport with Josh Allen and Johnson makes much more sense, even with Kamara's ties to Carmichael.

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