New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara knows which way the wind blows in the NFL. On the heels of a 33-10 loss to the Denver Broncos, the banged-up Saints have dropped five in a row.
The more the losses pile up, the hotter people's seats get, and the more uncomfortable coaches and players get. That's especially true for the players with the NFL trade deadline approaching on November 5.
"The reality of this business is, when you start losing too much, everybody gets on the hot seat," Kamara said on Thursday night from his locker, following the loss to Denver. "When coaches leave, players leave... And that's something that I definitely understand and I realize."
Only two short years ago, Sean Payton left the Saints. The only head coach to ever win a Super Bowl in New Orleans, Payton resigned from his post following the 2021 season. One year later, he reemerged, looking to hire on with the Broncos, who had to acquire his coaching rights from the Saints.
With the Broncos sitting at 4-3, they could look to be buyers ahead of the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the bull sharks can smell the blood in the Bayou, and they're circling, waiting to see if the Saints begin a fire sale in preparation for a coaching regime reboot and a roster reshuffling.
Before Broncos-Saints on Thursday night, the rumor mill had begun linking Kamara to the Broncos. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin doubled down on the scuttlebutt after the Broncos lambasted the Saints, and Payton and Kamara had their joyous reunion at midfield.
"That's right. Sean Payton didn't need Kamara to roll over his old team on Thursday, but he might be open to robbing New Orleans of his old pal just to definitively close the book on his Saints tenure. The Broncos already have a committee backfield, leaning heavily on the run game, and Kamara's pass-catching prowess would give rookie quarterback Bo Nix arguably his best safety valve yet," Benjamin wrote.
Much affection is still shared between Payton and Kamara. And if the Saints opt to put their star running back on the trade block, you can believe that Denver will be the first team GM Mickey Loomis will call.
The question is, what is a 29-year-old Kamara worth on the trade market? The Saints have struggled, but he's still on pace for a 1,000-yard season, with 438 rush yards and a whopping six touchdowns.
Believe it or not, though, Kamara has never eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his career. The closest he came was in Drew Brees' final year (2020), where he rushed for 932 yards and a career-high 16 touchdowns.
But Kamara brings more to the table, as he's among the NFL's best receiving backs. He's already got 34 receptions for 252 yards and a touchdown this season.
What it Means
Although Kamara is approaching the dreaded 30-mark, he's still obviously a highly productive back. His history of production in a Payton offense speaks for itself, and as Benjamin writes, Kamara would give Nix a massive upgrade as a safety valve out of the backfield.
Plus, the Broncos wouldn't have to be so reliant on Javonte Williams and his inconsistent vision as a ball carrier. If the Saints were willing to let the five-time Pro Bowler go for a third-round pick, knowing he's about to turn 30, perhaps the Broncos would bite. The Broncos would have control over his contract through 2025 at the very least, in the event of a trade.
You know the old saying, though: if 'ifs and buts' were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Happy Halloween.
