OTAs could provide answers in uncertain Kamara outlook

By Ross Jackson

The future of running back Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints is uncharacteristically uncertain for a situation in which a player is under contract for the year ahead. 

Kamara’s $10.5 million cap hit is usually more than enough to solidify an expectation that he will be on the roster in 2026. However, the Saints have become increasingly transparent that the nine-year vet’s future in New Orleans isn’t guaranteed. 

“We’re just just trying to see how he’s going to fit in our roster,” said general manager Mickey Loomis during the Saints’ Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Classic on May 18.. “Obviously, there’s a resource management element to it, and we’ll get to that over the next week or two.”

One week later, the Saints are preparing to take the field in a matter of days for Organized Team Activities (OTAs), the final phase of the offseason. 

When the local media is present for OTA practices this week, there is bound to be more information on the Kamara talks. Either there’ll be a surprise attendance by the back or head coach Kellen Moore will be prepared to share an update, knowing the one will eventually be requested during his availability. 

Either way, some new information is likely to come to light in the progress of conversations between the team and running back. 

It’s not hard to see that the Saints are a better team with Kamara and fellow back Travis Etienne Jr. on the roster together. However, the financial side of the partnership has to make sense as well. 

Paying one back $12 million per year while the other carries a double-digit cap hit is an arrangement unlikely to stand without being addressed for most NFL clubs. 

How this situation eventually comes to a close remains to be seen, but with three weeks of OTAs and a mandatory minicamp session on the way, opportunities for progress are abundant.