The New Orleans Saints clearly need to bolster their rush attack in Kellen Moore's second season. Jeremiyah Love is a popular pick thrown around for the Saints in the first round. Free agency is another option, but Alvin Kamara's contract could keep the team from investing money in one of the better free agent backs.
Kenneth Walker getting out of Seattle seems implausible. A franchise tag is likely the worst case scenario for him. They're reportedly unlikely to do so, but plans change late when negotiations fall out. Options like Breece Hall and Travis Etienne Jr. jump out as the cream of the crop this cycle.
Both players would be great assets for the Saints, but it all comes down to how you want to allocate funds. Kamara could be the barrier that stops the Saints from pursuing those players.
Alvin Kamara could keep the Saints from heavily investing in RB but not for the reasons you'd like
Kamara is not the same running back he used to be, and he has dealt with injuries in recent years. He lost the most time due to injury in 2025. Kamara only played 11 games this year. He had a strong 2024 campaign, but he missed on an opportunity to get his first 1000 yard season due to a late injury. He also missed some time the year before that. Health has become a major concern for the veteran.
It would be one thing if Kamara was still playing at a high level. If that were the case, the Saints wouldn't even be in discussions to pick up a running back this offseason. The room has depth, but they're missing that top guy. Kamara has shown the ability to be that in spurts, but it could behoove the Saints to look towards the future.
The one thing that could stop the Saints from getting someone who can be a lead back is they're already paying Kamara $18 million in the upcoming season. Already being on the hook for that amount could deter the Saints from making another investment of even $8 million in that position, even with Kamara's contract voiding after the season.
Going bargain shopping leaves you with a good chance of having another rotational piece. That's not really what the Saints need. They already have enough depth players. They need a lead guy who can give the Saints a strong 2-headed monster with Kamara and take over moving forward. That could be another reason the Saints are pushed to the draft to find it.
This free agency cycle could be all about rebuilding the line and hoping that is enough to rejuvenate the run game. It certainly was a detriment to that part of the offense last season. Whether it was Kamara, Kendre Miller, Devin Neal or Audric Estime, all of the rushers had to manage defenders in their path early.