The future of Alvin Kamara with the New Orleans Saints has been one of the top stories of the offseason, and that question only got louder when the Saints added star RB Travis Etienne in free agency.
Speaking publicly for the first time since that move on former Saints LT Terron Armstead's 'The Set' podcast, Kamara made it clear that sharing the workload is no issue for him.
"I watched him in Jacksonville these past couple years and, you know, explosive," Kamara said. "He hit home runs. He did it in college. Strong dude, seems smart. I’m excited to see what we can do together."
The longtime Saints running back went on to squash any idea of discontentment stemming from the move.
"I think a lot of people be thinking it’s like beef, or something, when moves like this happen and it’s like, man, shoot, I couldn’t be happier. It’s like, 1: My boy got paid. And 2: It ain’t nothing but some help in the backfield," he continued. "That’s the name of the game. Shoot, depth, one person can’t do it by themself. I’m cool with it, man, whichever direction we can take it, I’m with it."
Kamara was speaking from Miami, where he spends most of his offseason training, and struck the tone of someone who wants and expects to be back with the Saints for 2026. Despite being under contract for one more season that question arose after the Saints restructured his deal earlier this offseason in a way that lowered his base salary and potentially would facilitate a trade, release or retirement.
Kamara has stated previously that he is not interested in being traded, and hinted that if he was, he'd likely retire from the NFL.
Kamara, 30, is coming off his least productive season as a pro and missed the final six games due to a knee injury. A third-round pick in 2017, Kamara is the Saints' all-time leading rusher and holds most of the team's major running back records.
GM Mickey Loomis made sure to avoid addressing the topic directly, but his answers could at best be called noncommital. This is what he said last week on Mad Dog Sports Radio when asked about Kamara’s outlook with the team.
"I think we're still trying to work through that to see where we're at roster-wise and look, there's a couple areas there that we've got to work through," Loomis said, "so I'd rather not comment on it right now, but it's certainly an exciting possibility."
Head coach Kellen Moore, speaking earlier in the offseason, did speak generically to the positives of having both players with big roles in the offense.
"Certainly we feel like, hey, [Kamara is] in that room," Moore said. "You can find roles for all those different guys."
The Saints did not add any additional running backs in the draft, but they did sign Ohio State's CJ Donaldson as a UDFA. The running back room will also include Devin Neal, Kendre Miller and Audric Estime.
Should the room, in fact, be led by both Etienne and Kamara, it would strike a similarity to when Kamara arrived in 2017 and formed an effective tandem with a former first round pick in Mark Ingram.
"I think that’s what we’re trying to find. … I mean, that’s what efficiency looks like on a very high level, so I mean, man, I’m 100% for it, you know, if that’s what direction we’re going in I’m with it," Kamara continued. "I think we can get there."
Kamara also spoke highly of David Edwards as a free agent addition and Jordyn Tyson as the Saints' top pick. He noted that he hasn't been to New Orleans yet this offseason, but he intends for that to happen soon at which point he'll catch up with the new additions.
"Shoot, I’m a running back," he said. "Any time we get an O-lineman in there that provides some help, man, I’m excited."
The Saints draft class will be on the field next week for rookie minicamp, with OTAs following at the end of May.
Click here to check out the full podcast with Terron Armstead and Alvin Kamara
