Saints Veteran Star Still Drawing Buzz as Trade Chip at NFL Draft

The Saints could look to cut ties with one of their longest tenured players during the NFL draft.

Sep 14, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Mykel Williams (98) tackles New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Saints are in the middle of a crucial rebuild right now, and it's going much better than many people expected at this point. After losing Derek Carr to retirement last offseason, it seemed as though the Saints were going to be set back a few years. But Tyler Shough stepped up and showed out down the stretch, earning himself the starting job going into the 2026 season.

But there are still question marks at other positions, especially running back.

Alvin Kamara was floated as a trade chip at the trade deadline last season, but he seemingly threatened retirement if he was moved. This offseason, the Saints brought in Travis Etienne, which made Kamara even more expendable than he was before. Etienne is expected to be the franchise running back going forward, while Kamara would complement him, unless he's traded.

Jack McKessy of USA Today recently suggested the Saints could look to cut ties with Kamara during the NFL draft in a few weeks in an attempt to bolster their draft capital and the future of their team.

Alvin Kamara makes a lot of sense as a trade chip during the NFL draft

Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) walks off the field after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"Kamara will turn 31 in July, and the Saints seem to have found their new (and younger) lead back in free agency by signing Travis Etienne," McKessy wrote. "Kamara had a rough 2025 season with a knee injury cutting things short, but he finished just shy of 1,500 scrimmage yards in 2024 with eight touchdowns. There are plenty of teams that should be enticed by a veteran running back with the kind of dual-threat abilities Kamara has."

If the Saints can land a sixth-round pick or a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in exchange for Kamara, they would almost certainly take the deal.

The Saints could also be willing to take a 2027 NFL Draft pick to clear Kamara's money off the books.

Making a deal like this makes the offense slightly worse, though it's not by much, but it frees up quite a bit of money. Saints veteran Cameron Jordan is still in free agency, as of Thursday. The Saints could trade Kamara and use his money to re-sign Jordan. This pair of moves would make the team better and add draft capital. It's a win-win move.