The New Orleans Saints have a new running back in Travis Etienne. Will they now trade Alvin Kamara?

As recent days have shown, things can change quickly in the NFL. Even for franchise legends.

The deals involving Maxx Crosby and Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the San Francisco 49ers) prove this all too well.

Perhaps Alvin Kamara will join them. The running back has been an integral part of the New Orleans Saints for years. But now they have secured Travis Etienne from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He signed a four-year contract worth $52 million. That’s a lot of money! And it’s rare to see two well-paid RBs.

Will Kamara now leave the Saints?

Saints legend Kamara threatens to leave

According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, Kamara and other teams are now wondering whether he could be traded. There is no no-trade clause in Kamara’s contract.

However, the 30-year-old has publicly stated in the past that he would rather end his career than play for a team other than New Orleans.

That stance may change after the Etienne deal. The franchise could still trade him later this year. If the Saints trade or release Kamara before June 1, it would have a significant impact on the salary cap.

In that case, a release would cost an additional $8.9 million, and a trade would cost another $7.6 million.

After June 1, it would be different. Then, part of this burden would be shifted to the 2027 salary costs, which would almost balance the books. In the case of a release, the cost would be just over $888,000, and in the case of a trade, they would actually save $456,000.

New Orleans Saints: Kamara nearing the end of his career?

It is therefore unlikely that Kamara will be traded before the 2026 NFL Draft. Generated draft picks would therefore only be conceivable in 2027 at the earliest. A new team would have to take over Kamara’s salary. And it’s rather difficult to imagine that an organization would pay that price for a 30-year-old running back. Plus a possible trade offer. Kamara could also decide to end his career.

In that case, however, he would forfeit the $3 million still guaranteed in his contract. Nevertheless, this does not seem like an unthinkable scenario to insiders, as Kamara has been struggling with injuries in recent years.

In any case, the signing of Etienne shows that an era is coming to an end.