- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,210,577
- Reaction score
- 59
As we all know, Alvin Kamara has agreed to terms on a reworked deal that will keep the running back with the New Orleans Saints for the 2026 season, allowing both the team and the player the opportunity to see him retire in black and gold.
Early Thursday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared some details from Kamara's new contract, which includes a significant pay reduction from the $11 million salary cap hit he was originally set to have. As Rapoport highlighted, AK's new deal consists of a $6 million base salary for the upcoming season, with incentives that could push the total value to $8.5 million. It's a very reasonable deal for both parties, giving the Saints additional financial flexibility while allowing Kamara to earn back much of what he gave up.
New Orleans previously restructured Kamara's contract, converting $10,155,000 million of his base salary into a signing bonus and kicking most of it into next year's books -- a move that saved them about $8,124,000 this season and reduced his base salary to just over $1.34 million. Because Kamara's deal expires in 2027, it would have left behind more than $16.2 million in dead money. Now they've redone it. We're only guessing based on what's been reported, but it appears the Saints undid that restructure and Kamara agreed to a pay cut from his original $11.5 million base salary to just $6 million, with the possibility of earning back $2.5 million through incentives. That doesn't save as much money against this year's salary cap (roughly $5.5 million) but it does mean he would leave behind just $8.14 million in dead money on next year's cap. This is all guesswork, so stay tuned for the real contract details as they're reported.
The idea of Kamara playing anywhere other than New Orleans always felt like a foreign concept. He's made it clear on numerous occasions how much this city, organization, and fanbase mean to him, so it's only fitting that a player who's given so much to the franchise gets the opportunity to finish his career where it all began.
Aside from the sentimental aspect, this move also makes the Saints a better football team in 2026. Pairing Kamara with Travis Etienne gives New Orleans one of the league's most formidable running back duos, combining Kamara's versatility with Etienne's explosiveness. If Kamara can continue producing at a high level, this backfield has the potential to be one of the biggest strengths of the Saints' offense this season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints save as much as $5.5M in reworked contract with Alvin Kamara
Continue reading...
Early Thursday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport shared some details from Kamara's new contract, which includes a significant pay reduction from the $11 million salary cap hit he was originally set to have. As Rapoport highlighted, AK's new deal consists of a $6 million base salary for the upcoming season, with incentives that could push the total value to $8.5 million. It's a very reasonable deal for both parties, giving the Saints additional financial flexibility while allowing Kamara to earn back much of what he gave up.
New Orleans previously restructured Kamara's contract, converting $10,155,000 million of his base salary into a signing bonus and kicking most of it into next year's books -- a move that saved them about $8,124,000 this season and reduced his base salary to just over $1.34 million. Because Kamara's deal expires in 2027, it would have left behind more than $16.2 million in dead money. Now they've redone it. We're only guessing based on what's been reported, but it appears the Saints undid that restructure and Kamara agreed to a pay cut from his original $11.5 million base salary to just $6 million, with the possibility of earning back $2.5 million through incentives. That doesn't save as much money against this year's salary cap (roughly $5.5 million) but it does mean he would leave behind just $8.14 million in dead money on next year's cap. This is all guesswork, so stay tuned for the real contract details as they're reported.
The idea of Kamara playing anywhere other than New Orleans always felt like a foreign concept. He's made it clear on numerous occasions how much this city, organization, and fanbase mean to him, so it's only fitting that a player who's given so much to the franchise gets the opportunity to finish his career where it all began.
Aside from the sentimental aspect, this move also makes the Saints a better football team in 2026. Pairing Kamara with Travis Etienne gives New Orleans one of the league's most formidable running back duos, combining Kamara's versatility with Etienne's explosiveness. If Kamara can continue producing at a high level, this backfield has the potential to be one of the biggest strengths of the Saints' offense this season.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints save as much as $5.5M in reworked contract with Alvin Kamara
Continue reading...
