Saints' Alvin Kamara drops truth bomb on how long he plans to play in NFL

Will Alvin Kamara finish his career with the Saints?

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara indicated earlier this offseason that he hoped to receive a new contract from the Saints. Kamara walked out of the mandatory minicamp in June to send a message. There had also been some thought he could hold out of training camp, but with $50,000 fines per day of camp missed, it’s an expensive proposition for players unhappy with their contract. But it now sounds like he has a new outlook on his playing career. While speaking to Nick Underhill of NOF Network, Kamara said, “I'm kind of like, I'm going to play as long as it's serving me. Not in the sense of money, but as long as I'm still loving and having fun, I'm going to play.”

This soundbite from Kamara confirms the suspicions that Kamara might not play for New Orleans much longer. Kamara is still under contract with the Saints until 2026. Barring a shock release, any opposing needs to trade for the running back to get him on the roster. The Saints are chasing a playoff spot and could use Kamara in their offense. However, New Orleans has the lowest cap space in the league at $83 million over the limit. A trade would alleviate some cap pressure while bringing back valuable draft capital. So, if both sides cannot agree to a new deal, a Kamara trade could be on the horizon.

How will the Saints do this season?

New Orleans is looking to return to the playoffs this season after a three-year absence and a 9-8 finish in 2023, Dennis Allen's second as head coach. Aside from pressing questions at offensive line, head coach, and quarterback, the Saints have enough talent everywhere to compete with anyone. If New Orleans can positively answer those questions, stay healthy, and overcome a brutal early schedule, they could take the division for the first time since 2020 and make the playoffs.

But if Kamara gets going on the ground, that will also help open up the passing attack, and the offense will be better as a unit. Saints fans are hoping that’s the case. Regardless of where the organization stands, it'll do a lot of good for a fanbase. But clinching a playoff spot or an NFC South title would do a lot to rebuild that eroded goodwill. From there, New Orleans can focus on becoming a consistent playoff threat again, especially in a weak division like the NFC South.