Saints Weigh Two Paths With Alvin Kamara’s Future at Stake

Alvin Kamara is still a member of the New Orleans Saints, as of writing, and there is no sign that will change in the near future.

Kamara's future has been a popular talking point throughout the offseason so far. Kamara has had his contract restructured in a somewhat unorthodox way. Also, of course, the Saints have brought in Travis Etienne Jr. to bolster the running back room.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore commented on Kamara's current standing with the team from the league's annual meetings throughout the week.

"He’s certainly on the roster and part of the running back room. 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.”

Kamara's future is still up in the air a bit, though. Matthew Paras of The Times-Picayune and The Advocate dropped a new report on the longtime Saints star and noted that New Orleans wants to address Kamara's contract even further, with both a pay cut and a roster cut on the table.

The Saints have an Alvin Kamara decision to make

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

"Based on buzz from the NFL owners’ meetings this week, a clearer picture is emerging," Paras wrote. "The Saints would still like to address Kamara’s contract, even after deploying a quietly used salary cap tactic to lower his cap hit from north of $18 million to roughly $10.5 million. Addressing that could mean asking Kamara to take a pay cut. Or it could mean parting ways entirely, whether through a trade or cutting him. The Saints have yet to decide on which path they want to take, preferring to let the draft unfold first.

"New Orleans had informed Kamara that the team planned to add another running back regardless, and the Saints did exactly that when they signed Travis Etienne to a four-year, $52 million contract."

If the Saints enter the 2026 season with both Etienne and Kamara on the roster in the running back room it would be the best-case scenario for the franchise. Etienne could carry the bulk of the load on the ground with Kamara utilized to his strength as a pass-catching back out of the backfield. He was only able to play in 11 games in 2025. Even when he was on his field, his production out of the backfield in the air took a massive hit. He only had 33 catches for 186 receiving yards. Both were the lowest marks of his career. His previous career low in receptions was 47. His previous career low in receiving yards was 439.

If the Saints could keep him fresh, and give him more opportunities in the passing game, it would only help the offense further. Etienne is going to be good out of the backfield on the ground and give the team potentially its best boost rushing-wise in years.

Nothing is guaranteed, though. That contract still needs to be addressed. Hopefully, if there is a change, it leads to a pay cut rather than a roster cut.