Kellen Moore Takes Hard Stance on Saints-Alvin Kamara Trade Rumors

The New Orleans Saints reportedly explored the possibility of trading veteran running back Alvin Kamara at the trade deadline last season, but he seemingly threatened retirement if the Saints were going to trade him, so New Orleans opted to hold onto him.

But that didn't stop the Saints from spending big in free agency to land former Jacksonville Jaguars star running back Travis Etienne Jr. to bolster their running back room and their offense as a whole. But this move opened up the possibility of the Saints cutting or trading Kamara.

In fact, the buzz has been as hot as ever, as many analysts have already predicted him to be on the move in order to save a bit of money. But head coach Kellen Moore recently spoke to Kamara's place with the team.

Kellen Moore reaffirms Alvin Kamara's place with the Saints

Dec 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore speaks with a referee during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

“He’s certainly on the roster and part of the running back room," Moore said when talking about Kamara, per Saints reporter Jeff Duncan. "We feel fortunate that we were able to acquire Travis (Etienne). But there’s a lot of work there to be had. … It’s a great situation for us.”

Moore didn't hint at any potential to cut or trade Kamara. Instead, he discussed Etienne and Kamara as the team's running back duo, which could work perfectly for Moore and the Saints offense.

But this quote can't be taken as absolute. In fact, there aren't many other things a head coach could say in this situation, especially when dealing with the sensitive topic of potentially trading a franchise cornerstone.

But that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep both running backs on the roster.

Alvin Kamara, Travis Etienne could form a great RB duo for Saints

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) is tackled by Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) during the second quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Etienne would almost certainly be the top running back in the room. He's trending up at this point in his career, while Kamara is trending down.

Etienne is coming off a big year with the Jaguars and he was brought on to carry the load on offense.

Still, having a receiving back like Kamara to turn to in third-down situations would be crucial.

Using both running backs would also help keep them fresh. Rather than giving Etienne 20 to 25 carries a week while also asking him to work as a blocker and receiver, the Saints could give him a bit less of a workload due to the luxury of having Kamara. This should keep both fresh for the next year or so.