The New Orleans Saints knew they had to free up some money in order to get ready for free agency. Per usual, they accomplished this in the form of restructuring contracts. They chose to touch the contracts of Justin Reid, Juwan Johnson, Chase Young and Alvin Kamara so far. More could be on the way.
Watching the Saints' cap gymnastics is a yearly affair, and it can seem magical to watch. This year's edition wasn't nearly as strenuous. It took less than a handful of moves and the Saints are already in the black.
Just because the Saints are clear now doesn't mean they're finished. If the Saints are planning to be as active as fans hope they will be, they'll have to clear up some more funds. When taking a look at the moves already made, however, you'll notice one of these isn't quite like the others.
Alvin Kamara's contract restructure doesn't inspire confidence around his future.
Kamara's contract wasn't restructured like the rest of his teammates. Typically, a player sees his contract restructured and it means he's likely going to stay with the longer. The restructure guarantees more money down the line. That was the case for Reid, Johnson and Young but not Kamara.
It makes sense that Kamara's restructure wasn't made to extend his security with the team. In addition to his decline in play, Kamara just isn't viewed as a long term piece with the team. He lost a step but can still be valuable in the immediate future. It's just easier to see a world where Kamara is drinking pina coladas on the beach in 2027 or 2028 than it is to see him playing for the Saints.
With that in mind, you'd like to only kick money down the road for a player who you expect to still be around years later. With that in mind, you have to wonder if the decision means a little more than just smart business. The Saints could have easily restructured the deal to put some money on the 2027 books and ate that hit for a year or gambled on Kamara playing 2 more years.
It could be a sign that they're open to moving on from the running back. Kamara doesn't seem ready to stop playing. In totality, the move doesn't seal his fate, but it noticeably doesn't fortify his future in New Orleans either.