Five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara has voiced his excitement about playing alongside new teammate Travis Etienne Jr. in New Orleans. Despite the Saints' offseason moves suggesting a potential split, Kamara insists he wants to remain with the team for the 2026 season. General manager Mickey Loomis remains noncommittal on Kamara's future.
Alvin Kamara, who has spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, recently addressed speculation about his future. On a Monday appearance on 'The Set' podcast with Terron Armstead, the 30-year-old running back reacted positively to the team's signing of Travis Etienne Jr. in March. Kamara praised Etienne's explosiveness and expressed eagerness to form a strong backfield duo, similar to his early partnership with Mark Ingram in 2017-18, when they combined for over 3,000 yards from scrimmage and Kamara earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Kamara stated, 'I'm excited to see what we can do together,' and added, 'I couldn't be happier. One, my boy got paid, and two, like, it ain't nothing but some help in the backfield.' He dismissed any notions of conflict, emphasizing the value of depth at the position. The Saints signed Etienne to a four-year, $48 million deal, making him one of the NFL's 10 highest-paid running backs, just behind Kamara's $12 million-plus annual salary from his October 2024 extension. The Saints' actions this offseason, however, indicate they may be preparing for a change. On March 6, they restructured Kamara's contract, converting his $10.155 million 2026 base salary into a signing bonus. This move created over $8 million in cap space and facilitates a potential trade or post-June 1 release with minimal dead cap hit—$10.07 million for a cut or $3.38 million savings on a trade. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis gave vague responses about Kamara during an April 28 SiriusXM interview. Asked about Kamara's future and reaction to Etienne, Loomis said, 'I think we're still trying to work through that... I'd rather not comment on it right now.' On whether the team is 'on the same page,' he replied, 'I'd rather keep that to myself at this point.' Kamara has previously said he would rather retire than play elsewhere.
