Here Are 3 Options For Saints After Alvin Kamara Shows Up At Team Facility

One might think that once Alvin Kamara showed up to voluntary OTA practice Wednesday in Metairie, that would put to rest the rumors of what his status will be with the New Orleans Saints for the upcoming season.

Not even close.

Just as Kamara said, “I am here, and I am gonna do what I got to do,” the Saints clearly still haven’t decided what they WANT to do – or at least they haven’t declared to Kamara what they want to do.

The nine-year veteran, who is the team’s all-time leader in rushing yards (7,250) and fifth on the all-time receiving yards list (4,948), has not been welcomed in with open arms by the team.

Coach Kellen Moore has yet to say much on the subject, but during a four-minute chat about the star running back Wednesday when asked if Kamara had a place on this team, he said in part, “Certainly, he could fit in really well from an offensive standpoint. Some of the schematic stuff we’re trying to improve on and get better – that room can always use some depth.”

In other words, there’s no question if Kamara stays, he will be a backup to newly signed Travis Etienne, rather than a RB1A.

What are possible options for Kamara? The bad news for Who Dats is only one of three potential options involve him staying. The good news is one of the three potential options involve him staying.

What are those options? We have narrowed them down for you here:

He takes a pay cut and is RB2

This is the best-case scenario for fans who don’t like change and are convinced Kamara has enough left in the tank to give the team one more solid year of contributions. And be clear, if he does return, there’s about a 99-percent chance this would be the last dance in New Orleans.

Currently, in the second year of a two-year, $24 million deal, Kamara is the sixth-highest paid running back in the NFL and is one of only two players in the top 20 who likely will be backups in 2026. He counts $10.5 million against the cap, and the team gets almost no relief if they were to cut him.

Where does Alvin Kamara's salary rank among running backs in the #NFL? Spoiler alert: Way higher than all the other backup RBs. https://t.co/gvcU9ZnYmp #Saints
— Jim Derry (@JimDerryJr) May 20, 2026

In other words, if he doesn’t accept a pay cut and the Saints cut him anyway, it would solely be because he doesn’t fit in their plans.

We have been through the numbers before: His age-30 season last year was by far the worst of his career – and not just because he played in fewer games than in any other season.

As we said Wednesday, in 2024, he collected just shy of 1,500 total yards of offense on 21.1 touches per game and 5.04 yards per touch. In 2025, he had 657 yards of total offense on 14.9 touches per game and 4.01 yards per touch.

What does that mean for potential touches and yards in 2026? Even if his yards per touch went back to 2024 levels, he still is looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 to 900 yards of total offense with a likely touch-per-game total of about 10 as an RB2 and an aging back.

He is traded, but to whom?

Nearly every Saints fan in Who Dat Ville is hoping if Kamara isn’t retained in New Orleans, he is traded. Of course, they already have a destination in mind: to Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos.

But considering they are not one of the teams with the most need at RB, that potential deal seems unlikely.

Before we get to what a deal might look like, what are the teams that might be most interested if it isn’t Denver. At first glance, the likely possibilities would be the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers (depending on what’s going on with Josh Jacobs’ legal situation), the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

🚨🚨There’s been a lot of speculation that Alvin Kamara will be traded after June 1 but Polymarket currently says 87% chance that he stays in New Orleans#Saints #AlvinKamara #NFL pic.twitter.com/mjqsYyi1gg
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) May 31, 2026

(Or they could wait until after the season starts and see what contender is in the greatest need. San Francisco if Christian McCaffrey gets hurt? Baltimore if they lose Derrick Henry? Kansas City if something happens to Kenneth Walker?)

One would think any of those teams would be interested at the right price. So what is that price?

Likely, the best the Saints could hope for at this stage of Kamara’s career is a fourth-round pick and little relief on the dead-cap portion. In other words, not much, although it is tough to assess how desperate a team might be.

That takes us to scenario No. 3 …

The team could outright cut him

If the Saints decided a future with Kamara isn’t in the cards and they can’t find a realistic trade partner, then although they would scrape back pennies in cap space at this point due to his re-worked contract (multiple times), they still could outright release him.

This is the least-likely scenario, if for any other reason than the PR nightmare it would present. Fans let slide Demario Davis leaving for the Jets because he did it on his own. They were OK with Taysom Hill sneaking out and selling his Old Metairie home because they know his soon-to-be 36-year-old knees likely can’t handle another season.

How much does being among the youngest teams mean in the #NFL? Here's a chart of where the 5 youngest teams finished the past 4 seasons. (Spoiler alert: It's REALLY GOOD to be young.) https://t.co/LBJQUlIaWO #Saints
— Jim Derry (@JimDerryJr) May 24, 2026

But Kamara? When Kamara showed up and stated to the world he wants to be back? That might get ugly.

That being said, if the team has no other options, they might have to go that route. Waiting in the wings as a potential RB2 is oft-criticized and oft-injured Kendre Miller, who when he plays, obviously has the talent to be an NFL running back. Also looking for a chance is last year’s sixth-round pick from Kansas, Devin Neal, who collected 310 yards on 74 touches in his rookie season.

OTAs begin this week for the New Orleans #Saints. Here are some storylines to look for ... and a few that might get overblown. https://t.co/B0knvw0zIe
— Jim Derry (@JimDerryJr) May 24, 2026

Fans are also interested in Audric Estimé, who had 157 yards rushing, 47 yards receiving and a touchdown over the course of the Saints final two games last season.

If Kamara returns, those players take a huge backseat, and at least one of them – most likely Estimé – gets cut.

So what is going to happen?

Of the three scenarios, the one that makes the most sense is for him to return at a pay cut, play things out and reassess as the season inches toward the trade deadline.

Doing so creates a huge risk that there won’t be any trade value, but as we said, there isn’t much value now as it is. Also, if the team finds itself in a position to win the mediocre (at best) NFC South, an RB2 named Kamara could be very beneficial in making a run.

All that being said, what makes the most sense and what my gut tells me are two different things.

I simply cannot ignore the way Moore has handled this situation or the fact that General Manager Mickey Loomis was pretty clear Kamara can’t be brought back at his current salary.

If Moore is in charge of his personnel as Payton was, one can glean from his comments that Kamara would have to assure him he is willing to take a backseat to Etienne and maybe even beyond that.

His appearance Wednesday was a start. Is it enough? We shall see.

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