A number of receivers are at risk of skipping out the start of training camps around the NFL in the near future, but they are not alone in that respect. Saints running back Alvin Kamara‘s future is somewhat uncertain given his desire for a new deal.
The five-time Pro Bowler walked out of New Orleans’ final minicamp practice as a sign of his unhappiness with his current situation. He is on the books for two more years, but his 2025 salary ($22.4M) is not guaranteed and has long been seen as a means of artificially inflating the overall value of his pact. With training camp looming, progress on negotiations will be a key storyline to follow for Kamara and the team.
On that note, traction does not appear to have been gained recently. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football notes team and player have not made notable progress with respect to a contract resolution. Kamara, entering his age-29 season, represents a risky candidate for a new deal from the Saints’ perspective given the age at which running backs tend to drop off in terms of production. The former third-rounder is, though, open to a restructure to his existing pact rather than an extension tacking on several years to his New Orleans tenure.
Despite missing the first three games of the 2023 campaign through suspension, Kamara managed to top 1,100 scrimmage yards and score six total touchdowns. Talks on a new agreement have taken place during the offseason, but Underhill’s latest report echoes earlier ones suggesting nothing is imminent. Considering the state of the running back market (2024 notwithstanding), Kamara could be hard-pressed to land a notable raise on a new or reworked contract.
Several backs quickly found new homes during free agency this spring, and Christian McCaffrey secured a raise on a new 49ers pact. He leads the way in terms of AAV at the position ($19M), while Kamara remains in second at $15M. The latter figure will be altered one way or another considering the nature of the 2025 structure, but whether or not that happens in the immediate future remains to be seen. Kamara would be subject to $50K in mandatory daily fines if he engaged in a training camp holdout.
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