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David Grunfeld/Associated Press
Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints may be heading for a breakup.
According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, the Saints are “open to” trade offers for their star running back. While their first option is to sign him to a long-term deal, per Jeff Duncan of The Athletic, they’d seek a first-round pick in any trade.
Since 2017, Kamara ranks fifth leaguewide in yards from scrimmage (4,476). He also won the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year award and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of his three NFL seasons.
As such, he wants more money.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, Kamara is eyeing a deal near the four-year, $64 million extension Christian McCaffrey signed this offseason. The Saints are “comfortable” making him one of the league’s five highest-paid running backs, but the two sides still have a gulf to overcome.
If they don’t reach an agreement soon, Kamara could be on the move before Week 1. Based on need, cap space and roster fit, the following five teams in particular should inquire about him.
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Buffalo Bills running back Devin SingletaryJames P. McCoy/Associated Press
Compensation: 2nd-round pick
The Buffalo Bills selected running backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss in the third round of the last two drafts, respectively. The latter has put together a solid camp this offseason, per Maddy Glab of the team’s website, as he’s been showing off his pass-catching skills.
Although Moss has looked impressive at camp, the Bills cannot expect him to hit the ground running in his first NFL game. Adding Kamara to the mix could give them a three-man backfield rotation with two young tailbacks and a proven game-changer.
Kamara, who has at least 81 receptions in three consecutive seasons, could serve as a reliable intermediate target for quarterback Josh Allen. The third-year signal-caller has completed only 56.3 percent of his career passing attempts, but he hasn’t had a backfield outlet like Kamara.
Singletary and Moss are both a ways away from a new extension, and the Bills could keep Allen on his rookie deal for three more years if they pick up his fifth-year option. Armed with $17.1 million in cap space, they have the luxury of being able to afford Kamara without jeopardizing their long-term outlook.
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Chicago Bears running back David MontgomeryNam Y. Huh/Associated Press
Compensation: 2nd-round pick
The Chicago Bears may be going into the season without top running back David Montgomery for a few games. The 2019 third-round pick suffered a groin injury in practice last Wednesday and could miss 2-4 weeks, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Although Montgomery should return soon enough, he won’t necessarily elevate the Bears ground attack. He averaged only 3.7 yards per carry as a rookie, finishing with 889 yards and six touchdowns. The Bears offensive line did him no favors, as it ranked 29th in run blocking, per Football Outsiders.
Kamara could add some juice to Chicago’s rushing offense. He could pair with Tarik Cohen in 21 personnel, which would feature two pass-catching tailbacks on the field together as high-percentage receiving targets for Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles.
Last season, the Bears finished 27th in rushing yards. With Kamara in the fold, they would see a significant boost in yards on the ground and ankle-breakers on catch-and-run plays.
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Miami Dolphins running back Matt BreidaLynne Sladky/Associated Press
Compensation: 2nd-round pick
The Miami Dolphins don’t have the biggest need at running back. They signed Jordan Howard and acquired Matt Breida from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. According to running backs coach Eric Studesville (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald), 2019 seventh-rounder Myles Gaskin has made some strides as well.
However, Howard and Breida served as complementary options for their former teams last year, while Gaskin ran for only 133 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins don’t have a standout player at the position.
Kamara could help Dolphins in the upcoming season and beyond without crippling their cap situation. Rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa may have to wait a year to take over for Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he’s clearly the next man up. Miami should build around its future signal-caller with $23.8 million in cap space.
The Dolphins can extend Kamara and provide Tagovailoa with a strong ground attack and a top-notch receiving option in the short passing game. Tagovailoa, who completed 69.3 percent of his passes at Alabama, could form a quick connection with Kamara thanks to his accuracy.
The Dolphins currently have two second-round picks in the 2021 draft. They could either give up the selection they acquired from the Houston Texans in the blockbuster trade for left tackle Laremy Tunsil or their own.
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New England Patriots running back Sony MichelSteven Senne/Associated Press
Compensation: 2nd-round pick
The New England Patriots have a plethora of running backs, including Sony Michel, James White, Lamar Miller, Damien Harris and Rex Burkhead. However, none of them are reliable three-down options.
Michel underwent foot surgery this offseason, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. After averaging 4.5 yards per carry as a rookie, he dropped to 3.7 yards per carry this past season. White has yet to log more than 94 carries in a single season through six campaigns.
Harris remains unproven after finishing with 12 yards on four carries last year. Miller missed the entire 2019 campaign with a torn ACL and MCL and is on the roster “cut line,” per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. Burkhead has been a career backup.
Quarterback Cam Newton seems like the front-runner to win the quarterback battle with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer, per Reiss. In Carolina, he had a dynamic running back similar to Kamara in Christian McCaffrey.
The Patriots can ease Newton’s transition to New England with a star playmaker capable of racking up 1,500-plus yards from scrimmage. New England’s uninspiring pass-catching group also needs a lift, as the 34-year-old Julian Edelman is currently the top pass-catching threat.
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Washington Football Team running back Adrian PetersonPatrick Semansky/Associated Press
Compensation: 2nd-round pick
As the Carolina Panthers’ quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator Scott Turner had a front-row seat to Christian McCaffrey’s All-Pro campaign last year. He understands how a dual-threat playmaker out of the backfield can add multiple dimensions to an offense by exploiting matchups in the middle of the field.
To help quarterback Dwayne Haskins take a step forward in his second season, the Washington Football Team needs to acquire more offensive weapons.
Haskins has a promising second-year wideout in Terry McLaurin, who finished last season. as the only pass-catcher with more than 378 receiving yards on the team.
In the backfield, Adrian Peterson is going into his age-35 campaign. Bryce Love hasn’t suited up for an NFL game after he sat out the 2019 season while recovering from a torn ACL. Rookie third-rounder Antonio Gibson played wide receiver at Memphis, and he’s transitioning to running back as a pro.
Kamara would immediately be Washington’s best offensive playmaker. Haskins could rely on him to extend plays after the catch and move the chains, as he’s averaging five yards per carry for his career.
Salary-cap information via Spotrac.
