Alvin Kamara will be running to the bank rather than the endzone today. Kamra signed a five-year, $75 million extensions to stay in New Orleans for the perceivable future. Adam Schefter reported the news on Twitter.
At first glance, for a running back at least, Kamara’s numbers don’t look that impressive. He hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards in a season, but there is only a 400-yard difference between his total career rushing and receiving yards (2,408 and 2,068 respectively). It’s nowhere near Christian McCaffrey numbers, but they aren’t bad by any means.
I believe the Saints needed to keep Kamara to maximize the production of Brees. Keeping weapons around an aging star will prolong Brees’ effectiveness. While there is only a handful of running backs that I would pay big money to, Kamara squeezes in at the bottom of said list. I know he’s had to share touches in the past, but getting this money means the Saints will need a lot more from Kamara this coming season. Rushing for 1,000 yards at a minimum this year would defiantly be a step in the right direction.
The Saints decided to pay Alvin Kamara and keep their offensive threat out of the backfield. It’s not just Kamara’s running that makes him desirable to the Saints. Kamara is one of the better receiving running backs in the NFL. He provides an excellent dump-off option for Drew Brees if nothing opens up downfield. Most teams may not believe it’s worth it to pay running backs in the modern NFL. But keeping Kamara means maximizing the production out of Brees and putting the Saints in the best position to win a Super Bowl. Eventually, Brees will retire, and a new QB will lead the way for the Saints. With Kamara around, perhaps he can alleviate some of the pressure for that new leader.
