Running back Alvin Kamara has been one of the faces of the New Orleans Saints after being drafted back in 2017. He could have his biggest role in years heading into 2025.
The first-year head coach, Kellen Moore, has a high opinion of Kamara, calling him one of the premier players in the league.
"His ability to run the ball and play in the pass game, you certainly want to utilize all of that. He's going to really be a big-time, impactful runner, and then, obviously, the pass game, his ability to create matchups, is going to be a huge advantage for us." Moore said after the second day of mini camp.
"What's really fun about being around Alvin is that his mental capacity is really high; he understands football at a really, really high level. He's played so many games," Moore said. Having a player like that on your team is great because he's able to extend that knowledge to his teammates.
Is this Kamara's year to cross 1000 yards?
Kamara has some of the speed and burst of some of the best running backs to play the game. However, he's yet to have an 1,000 yard rushing season. But, with Kellen Moore's new offensive scheme, Kamara may finally be able to get that monkey off of his back.
Last season was the closest that the running back has been to that elusive 1,000 yards season, as he had 950 rushing yards before injuries took him out of the last game of the season.
Kamara said it was a mutual decision for him to sit out that last game, mentioning that he'll have more opportunities to reach that mark.
The decision falls in line with the approach Kamara has had since entering the NFL. "I've never chased records in this league; I've never been like, 'oh I wanna get 1,200 yards in a season.' I've never chased that. Because of that, I've been able to keep the game pure in a sense." Kamara said during end-of-season interviews.
"Sometimes you squeeze something too hard and it falls out of your hands. I've been blessed enough to amass a ton of yardage, a ton of touchdowns, and a ton of accolades, and it's all because I'm in the moment. I'm where my feet are, and when that experience or situation is done, I'm on to the next."
