Andrew Buller-Russ
Last year, the New Orleans Saints entered the season with extremely low outside expectations. Many analysts believed they would end up as one of, if not the worst team in the NFL.
Though, to be fair, they were working with a young, first-year head coach. The Saints also had no surefire starting quarterback. Eventually, rookie second-round pick Tyler Shough forced his way into the starting lineup, but it wasn’t until Spencer Rattler got the team out to a 1-7 start.
Of course, it didn’t help that the production of some of the Saints’ veterans dropped off last season either.
Alvin Kamara Rated as NFL’s Most Overpaid RB
One player who didn’t live up to his own standards is Alvin Kamara. The five-time Pro Bowl running back finished with a career-low 471 rushing yards and 186 receiving yards while playing in just 11 games.
Now the 30-year-old is headed into the final year of his contract in New Orleans, yet the team has already replaced him in the starting lineup with prized free agent acquisition Travis Etienne who inked a four-year, $48 million contract. Meanwhile, Kamara is now set for a backup role, yet still has a 2026 cap hit of $10.4 million. That’s just too rich for a player without a featured role on a team that isn’t expected to compete for a Super Bowl.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton named Kamara as the NFL’s “most overpaid” running back today. Part of it is due to his decreased production in 2025, but also a bit of projection knowing he’ll see even fewer opportunities in 2026 now that Etienne will take the bulk of the workload in New Orleans. In essence, it will be very difficult for Kamara to live up to his contract this season.
“Although Kamara is beloved within the Saints’ fanbase, it’s clear that he’s on the downside of his career. The nine-year veteran will likely need to take a pay cut to remain with the team because of his recent availability issues and diminished production from the previous campaign.”
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton on Alvin Kamara
Of course, there’s always a chance that the Saints cut Kamara or try to trade him to a different team. Several offenses have a need for a multi-purpose running back who can be effective as a rusher and at catching passes out of the backfield. Yet, some evaluators may simply think Kamara isn’t worth the price of admission at this point.
Related: One NFL Trade All 32 Teams Could Make Before 2026 Season Starts
