Money appears to be one of the biggest points of contention between Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints in the conversation about his future. He's currently owed $11.5 million in 2026. It's a number that could be fine if the Saints didn't also sign Travis Etienne in free agency.
Kamara's salary is tied for the ninth most among running backs, leading Bleacher Report's Moe Moton to call Kamara the most overpaid running back in the NFL. Somewhere the Saints front office is yelling, "See!"
Moton points to diminished production and the struggles staying healthy. The latter stopped him from having a 1000 yard season just two years ago. The conversation around Kamara's decline would likely be different if he did hit that milestone. Unfortunately, he didn't and followed it up with a poor 2025 campaign before the injuries.
Money was never the problem with Alvin Kamara and the Saints
Money may stand in the way of Kamara returning to the Saints this year, but that isn't the biggest issue between Kamara and the Saints. The biggest issue between the two sides is respect, and it doesn't feel the Saints are manuevering through the situation with much respect.
It's hard to say the same for Kamara. He's remained constant in his desire to be in New Orleans and reasons why he wants to be here. Every step of the way, Kamara's words have stripped away uncertainty from his side.
The Saints' words have done the exact opposite. They don't have to fabricate a narrative for Saints fans, but there have been three layers that question if the respect is there.
Firstly, this situation should have been handled. There's no reason we're close to training camp, and Kamara's situation is still in the air. If money is the sticking point, why haven't they already had this conversation.
Wanting to adjust the running back's contract now that he's in a different role makes a lot of sense, and most wouldn't question that. It's the seemingly lack of directness within the situation that's an issue. It feels like a situation dragging on is unbecoming of someone with Kamara's resume.
Secondly, there have been some pieces on Kamara this offseason that certainly seemed to draw a lot of information from internal sources. The reporting paints the picture of an organization that's upset and okay with things getting ugly. It's definitely there now.
Pair those articles with Tyrann Mathieu's earlier comments that he believes the team is trying to wait it out and hope Kamara stays away. He also mentioned there was internal frustration due to how they feel Kamara influenced Dennis Allen's firing.
Things are just adding up to not seeing Kamara in a favorable light impacting a potential and necessary conversation. That lack of respect is lastly shown in the difference between how the Kamara and Cam Jordan were spoken about this offseason.
There was always love and optimism around Jordan that you couldn't say about Kamara. They represent similar traits from a team and community standpoint, but it didn't sound like they'd love to have both. As mentioned earlier, there's no requirement to fabricate, but it's not atypical to see a good front put up in these moments.
It's strange the Saints have not. Money may be the ultimate obstacle, but respect is the obstacle that stands in front of that.
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