Alvin Kamara has never met an injury timeline that he couldn't beat, and that appears like it'll be the case this week when the Saints face off with the Ravens in Week 2.
Kamara said on Thursday that doctors told him he had a "grade 2-plus" knee sprain, with the return timeline set at about 6 weeks. He's expected to be on the field in Baltimore on Sunday, a little over 5 weeks removed from the injury suffered during the joint practice against the Cowboys in mid August. Both Kamara and Kellen Moore indicated that the veteran RB could've potentially played in the season-opener, but the team opted to play it safe due to limited reps. Kamara has been a full participant in all three practices this week.
“I’m going," Kamara said, when asked if he was ready to play. "If it wasn’t right, I wouldn’t be in, so I feel great, moving well, really no limitations, so I feel good.”
The Saints career rushing leader entered his 10th season in an unusual situation, the second option in a tandem that will be headlined by Travis Etienne. The Saints signed the Louisiana native to a 4-year, $48 million deal this offseason, while Kamara contract questioned lingered until just weeks prior to the start of training camp. Kamara maintained throughout that time that his goal was to stick with the team and he ultimately agreed to a reworked, incentive-laden contract that will expire at the end of this season. Throughout camp he logged work with the 1s and 2s with a lot of work in third down and passing situations.
Kamara's return should add some juice to a rushing attack that manages a paltry 91 yards on 24 carries, a figure buoyed significantly by an 18-yard Travis Etienne run in the final seconds with the Lions playing back. Both Etienne and Miller logged 9 carries apiece, though Etienne outsnapped MIller 53 to 26. The Saints also elevated rookie CJ Donaldson from the practice squad and utilized him in short-yardage situations.
Head coach Kellen Moore indicated this week that the goal would be to balance out the workload throughout the season, even with Etienne signed to a big-money contract in the offseason. Moore said the plan matches what he's done throughout the majority of his career leading NFL offenses, with the only exception coming with the Eagles in 2024 when that team rode Saquon Barkley as the bellcow all the way to a Super Bowl title.
“We’ve got to rotate all these running backs," Moore said, "and there will be different packages or responsibilities from week to week that are different, but I think it’s important.”
If that's the case, it'd mean a return to the type of tandem that Kamara has excelled in throughout his career, early on with Mark Ingram and later with Latavius Murray.
"I feel the same if I’m leading or not. ... I think that’s more for the coaches to figure out," Kamara said. "I don’t know what they want to do with it. That’s on them. My job is to be ready, so I’ll be ready.”
The Saints (0-1) face off with the Ravens (1-0) at noon Sunday inside M&T Bank Stadium. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.
