Alvin Kamara opens up about contract talks, saying he wants to retire with Saints

On Wednesday, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara broke his silence. Since leaving mandatory minicamp early for contract reasons, Kamara didn’t have any public conversations about his relationship with the team and his desire for a new contract. He went on to enjoy the rest of his offseason, and dropped a few social media posts that left fans thinking.

After reporting for training camp on Tuesday, and going through his first practice on Wednesday, Kamara finally spoke with the media and he didn’t hold back. The veteran running back was extremely candid about his desires and future with the franchise.

The biggest thing the star running back made clear is that he wants to retire with the Saints. He emphasized that he loves the city, the team, and the organization, and despite the fact that he doesn’t currently have the contract he wants, he doesn’t see himself ever playing in another uniform. He admitted that if he’s not in New Orleans, he’d likely be retired with his feet up somewhere in Africa.

Still, Kamara is asking for a new deal. In his conversations with upstairs, as he put it, he’s not asking for anything unreasonable. However, he admitted that’s his perspective, while acknowledging the Saints front office could have a totally different outlook.

Even with him and the front office being on different pages, Kamara is present and participating. He explained that he’s trying to make money, not lose it, so holding out was never in consideration for him. He’s rolling with the team whether a new deal comes or not.

Kamara’s current deal technically doesn’t expire until after 2026, but he’s due more than $25 million in 2025. The Saints aren’t paying him that much for a single season, so that makes 2024 the actual final year of the deal, with New Orleans having to decide whether they want to release or extend him next offseason.

The veteran running back turns 29 on Thursday, July 25, but he still feels elite, joking that he doesn’t feel like he has aging running back body syndrome. Some critics believe Kamara is declining after he only posted 694 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, and 75 receptions for 466 yards and a receiving touchdown in 12 games last season.

While it was the least productive season of Kamara’s career, an argument can be made that he only played 12 games, behind a bad offensive line. His dip in production could have much more to do with the surrounding circumstances than him.

In 2024, however, the circumstances should be on Kamara’s side. While the offensive line is still a concern, he’ll be playing for an offensive coordinator in Klint Kubiak that wants to run the ball. If Kamara has the kind of season Kubiak wants him to, the running back will definitely get the kind of deal he’s looking for.

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