Saints’ Alvin Kamara pleads no contest to misdemeanor charge

Kamara reached a plea agreement Tuesday, according to Kyle Paine and David Charms of 8 News Now, who report the perennial Pro Bowler will avoid a felony charge in connection with a January 2022 incident in Las Vegas (Twitter link). Indicted by a grand jury for his role in an assault on a man at a Las Vegas nightclub, Kamara pleaded no contest to a breach of peace charge.

This agreement will force the Saints running back to perform 30 hours of community service, pay a $500 fine and pay the victim $105K, which will go toward medical bills. Kamara, 27, has long expected to be suspended for the incident that led to Darnell Greene being hospitalized. Kamara, who was one of multiple men involved in the assault during the 2022 Pro Bowl weekend, was also hit with a civil suit last year.

The NFL does not need a conviction on a felony or misdemeanor charge to proceed with a ban under the personal conduct policy, as past developments have confirmed. With the league preferring to wait until cases are adjudicated before handing out punishment, Tuesday’s news sets up the likelihood of a Kamara ban — potentially a six-game penalty — occurring before the 2023 season.

Kamara’s case encountered frequent delays, leaving him free to play throughout last season. The Saints were less prepared for a Kamara ban last year, but the team has made preparations this offseason. New Orleans agreed to terms on a three-year, $12M deal with Jamaal Williams — last season’s rushing touchdowns leader (16) while with the Lions — and used a third-round pick on TCU back Kendre Miller.

Kamara has been one of the best skill-position players in Saints history; he is tied to the league’s second-most lucrative running back extension ($15M per year). The seventh-year veteran remains New Orleans’ top back, though he is coming off a bit of a down season — one in which he scored just four touchdowns. The team will undoubtedly make Kamara a key player in a now-Derek Carr-led offense, but the additions of Williams and Miller are certainly interesting. While a suspension will void remaining Kamara guarantees, only $1.1M in guaranteed money remains on Kamara’s five-year, $75M contract.