NFL Free Agency: Saints' Etienne Signing Could Mean End of Kamara's Tenure

The New Orleans Saints made a big splash on the first day of 2026 NFL free agency by signing former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.

The deal, which averages $13 million per year over four seasons, makes Etienne one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL and a focal point of the Saints' future. Etienne fits very well into the Kellen Moore-run offense, which features many different nuances.

While there's lots of excitement about the Etienne signing, questions now arise about the future of Saints icon Alvin Kamara, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting that a major change might be coming.

The Saints may have a new direction at RB

Oct 26, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

"With the Saints reaching agreement today with RB Travis Etienne, there now are questions around the league about whether RB Alvin Kamara will be moving on from New Orleans and whether the Saints would be willing trade him," Schefter said in a tweet on Monday night. "Teams are tracking and wondering about it."

With the Saints reaching agreement today with RB Travis Etienne, there now are questions around the league about whether RB Alvin Kamara will be moving on from New Orleans and whether the Saints would be willing trade him. Teams are tracking and wondering about it. pic.twitter.com/2U5Q6FFkvZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2026

The Etienne signing comes just a few days after the Saints restructured Kamara's contract using a clever salary cap maneuver called the "50% rule." The contract adjustment lowered Kamara's 2026 cap hit from $18.63 million to just $10.51 million, clearing the way for the Saints to part ways with the 30-year-old running back.

Kamara is coming off an injury-ravaged 2025 season that saw the former third-round pick rush for just 471 yards in 11 games. He hasn't played in more than 15 games since his rookie season in 2017. Etienne, on the other hand, is just 27 and is coming off his third 1,000-yard rushing season in four years.

With Etienne presumably serving as the lead back in New Orleans, multiple running back-needy teams should be looming as they wait to see what happens with Kamara. The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks could be two teams that would make sense, as Kamara may want to compete for a Super Bowl at this point in his career.

New Orleans is clearly building around quarterback Tyler Shough for the future, which may indicate that the Alvin Kamara chapter in New Orleans could soon end. Whether it's a release or a trade, speculation about what will happen to the veteran running back has begun.