One day after reports emerged that New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara has had multiple unexcused absences from training camp sessions that were related to his contract, NFL insider Josina Anderson tweeted that the Saints are open to trading the 25-year-old:
I'm told the Saints are open to trading RB Alvin Kamara, per source.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 1, 2020
Spotrac notes that Kamara is entering the final season of his rookie deal roughly four and a half months after Christian McCaffrey and the Panthers agreed to a record-breaking extension.
While Kamara, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, is a proven versatile offensive weapon, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports pointed out that the three-time Pro Bowl back might not fetch a long-term deal that includes $15 million per year from New Orleans due to salary-cap concerns.
The Saints could retain Kamara's rights for the 2021 campaign via the franchise tag, and that reality theoretically gives New Orleans additional power in negotiations even though the start of the regular season is less than two weeks away.
Time to resume conversations on if any club should pay a RB big money in the modern "pass-happy" NFL.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!