Recently, there are rumblings of the New Orleans Saints possibly trading Alvin Kamara. Would dealing the running back be the right move though?
The 2020 offseason has already been a handful for the New Orleans Saints. They’ve made some splashes in free agency, re-signing Drew Brees, inking Emmanuel Sanders and let a few guys walk. No doubt they have more work to do before the season starts. As of late, one move being floated about is the notion of trading running back Alvin Kamara.
At this point, neither the Saints nor Kamara have commented on the possibility of a trade. Some might say they don’t feel the need to squash the rumors as that’s all they are — rumors. However, it could mean the team has something in the works. Either way, it’s clear the Saints have a plan in mind for Kamara. If more trade rumors start to come up, it’ll start to get more real.
Until then, we’re just talking hypothetically about what the Saints will do. If the Saints do decide to trade Kamara, it brings up a lot of questions. The most important being is how the trade will play out for Kamara and for the Saints?
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For Kamara, it’s going to be all about what team he goes to. He won’t work in every system but, with a player of his immense talent, offensive coordinators will mold their system to fit him. With the Saints, however, he has a chance at a Super Bowl which is the goal as an NFL player.
Some rumors have suggested Kamara could land with the Kansas City Chiefs in a possible trade. For Kamara, that would be a solid fit. The team just won the Super Bowl and is looking to beef up their already dynamic offense.
Adding Kamara would be exactly what they need. With all the options Patrick Mahomes has though, Kamara probably wouldn’t get as much playing time as he would in the Saints backfield. If the price is right though, no doubt the teams could end up working something out.
For the most part, Kamara will be fine wherever he ends up. But the Saints are the ones who might struggle.
Losing both Kamara and Mark Ingram, who departed in 2019 free agency, is a crushing blow to their offense. Simply, the team would have to have a contingency plan. Ultimately, the Saints would have two options should they choose to part ways with Alvin Kamara.
The first is the Saints decide to draft Kamara’s replacement, which isn’t going to be easy as Kamara was a steal in the third round. In a strong running back class in the 2020 NFL Draft, though, it might not be impossible to find a top-tier player at the end of Day 2.
New Orleans’ second option would be to find a replacement via free agency and pair with Latavius Murray. At this point, a lot of the big-name guys have already found new homes. Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller and Carlos Hyde might not be in the prime of their careers but would be suitable for the Saint’s needs. Once again, this isn’t a guaranteed plan either.
However, what could help the Saints replace Kamara should they deal the running back is orchestrating a blockbuster trade that lands them the help they need. They could either trade him for draft picks, thus making it easier to select a viable replacement. Contrarily, they could trade him for a playmaker to complement Michael Thomas or a defensive standout. That would then take a draft need off the board and give them an opportunity to draft a replacement again.
On the whole, though, it doesn’t feel right for the Saints to trade Alvin Kamara. The team has the building blocks of a team that could go to the Super Bowl. Trading Kamara is going to throw a monkey wrench into the plan. Rather, the team should be focusing on getting the necessary pieces to help them get to the Super Bowl.