New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara unexpectedly showed up for voluntary offseason training on Wednesday, saying he was “literally” lying in bed a day earlier when he thought to himself, “Eh, I’ll go tomorrow.”
Kamara, who usually skips optional team workouts to train on his own, and who had missed the previous week’s work at Saints headquarters, seemed to relish the opportunity to surprise teammates and coaches.
“Obviously, a little bit unexpected,” coach Kellen Moore said.
“It’s good to see him,” Moore added. “Excited to be able to spend a little time with him, see where’s he’s at.”
Kamara, meanwhile, could get a better sense of the Saints’ plans for him as his 31st birthday and 10th NFL season approach.
The career Saint is entering the final year of his contract, and uncertainty about his future with New Orleans has only grown since the club signed free agent running back Travis Etienne to a four-year, $52 million deal.
“As you navigate some of the business stuff, signing Travis and kind of navigating how all these pieces work together, that’s always a little bit of a challenge as you’re building your roster,” Moore said Wednesday.
It would arguably be unwise for the Saints to pay Etienne starter money while paying Kamara the entirety of his two-year, $24.5 million extension that took effect last season.
This offseason, general manager Mickey Loomis and Moore have hinted that Kamara could be traded or released if he won’t renegotiate his contract to make it more team-friendly under the salary cap.
Kamara has been receptive to the prospect of playing with Etienne, saying, “I think we’ll complement each other well,” and was vague on Wednesday about whether he might agree to new terms.
“I haven’t had any conversations in regards to that. So, I don’t know,” Kamara said. “There’s a time and a place for everything, and if that conversation comes up, then I’ll have an answer for you.”
In the meantime, Kamara is showing no signs of anxiety or dissatisfaction about his uncertain future.
“I wouldn’t say it’s uncomfortable for me,” Kamara said. “On my side, I feel no pressure; there’s no beef or no bad blood. I’m doing what I do every year, working. If there are decisions that got to be made, they’ll be made.
“I’m still under contract here. So, I’m a Saint,” Kamara added. “If anything happens, we’ll go from there.”
Struggling through a knee injury last season, Kamara posted career lows in games played (11), yards and touchdowns rushing (471 and one), and yards and touchdowns receiving (186 and zero).
It’s a far cry from the start of Kamara’s career in 2017, when he was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in what was the first of four straight playoff campaigns for the Saints under coach Sean Payton and Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees.
But the Saints haven’t made the playoffs since Brees retired after the 2020 season and are on their second coach since then. Moore was hired after winning a Super Bowl as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator during the 2024 season.
“I’m used to winning. So, it’s been a lull around here for a little bit,” Kamara said. “It’s unfortunate. It’s annoying. It’s frustrating when you’re a part of it, when you know what it can be, what it’s like to win.”
Linebacker Demario Davis, a leader from those playoff teams, left in free agency. Other unsigned veterans include defensive end Cameron Jordan, the club’s all-time sack leader, and Taysom Hill, who serves as a tight end, running back, reserve QB and special teams leader.
For Kamara, not seeing those players in the locker room “stings a little bit, but you’ve got to be realistic.”
“I’m going to be ready and we’ll see what happens,” Kamara said. “It’s a business both ways, you know, on the team side and the player side. … Nothing catches me off guard.”
Asked if he expected to be back in the Big Easy next week, Kamara said: “I might be. New Orleans is a beautiful city.”
Reporting by the Associated Press.
