The New Orleans Saints made a big move on Monday with the signing of former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. However, the Saints already had a very talented running back in Alvin Kamara.
While teams like the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Denver Broncos have utilized a two-headed monster in the backfield, none have combined the talent of players like Kamara and Etienne.
What Did Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore Say About Alvin Kamara’s Future?
Kamara has been with the Saints for his entire nine-year NFL career. He was one of the best running backs in the league for his first five seasons and arguably the best pass-catching back. The Saints’ star won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and went to five straight Pro Bowls to start his career. However, he has not returned in the last four seasons.
Kamara has dealt with injuries along the way, but aside from his pass-catching and touchdown production, his rushing numbers have remained relatively consistent until recently.
In 2024, Kamara set a career-high in rushing yards with 950 and recorded 6 rushing touchdowns. However, injuries limited him to just 11 games in 2025, when he posted a career-low 471 rushing yards and just 1 touchdown.
With the addition of Etienne, many are wondering what Kamara’s future looks like.
“We like to go through that process certainly. We know Alvin means a lot to us,” Saints coach Kellen Moore told reporters Thursday. “We’re three days into this thing. We’ve signed Travis, and we’ll go through that process.”
When asked if Kamara was considering retirement, Moore seemed to avoid the question.
Interesting question-and-answer with Kellen Moore on Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne.
Is Kamara retiring? pic.twitter.com/CJVmvjO7xo
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 12, 2026
“I’m not going to get into all that kind of stuff. I haven’t had those kind of conversations anyway,” Moore said.
Kamara will turn 31 years old during the 2026 season, and we all know how running backs are treated in the NFL. The Saints just signed Etienne, the 27-year-old, to a massive four-year deal worth $52 million. With the age difference and the money committed to Etienne, it wouldn’t be surprising if the writing is on the wall for Kamara.
The nine-year veteran signed a two-year, $24.5 million extension during the 2024 season, which will expire after this season.
Etienne is coming off his best year as a pro, running for 1,107 yards and 7 touchdowns to go with 36 receptions for 292 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. Last season was Etienne’s third 1,000-yard campaign in his four NFL seasons, and he has scored 32 total touchdowns.
Ironically, despite three 1,000-yard seasons and one with double-digit touchdowns, the rising star has never made a Pro Bowl. Regardless of what the end decision is for Kamara this season, the Saints have found their running back for the future with Etienne.
