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Alvin Kamara to return to Saints for a 10th season after reportedly agreeing to new deal 22%
By Matthew Paras29%
7/15/2026, 8:15:00 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 25 faulty reasoning types, including Optimism Bias, Post Hoc (False Cause), and Halo Effect, with Negativity Bias as the most egregious example at 15.4% saturation with 112 hits. Analysis detected 885 faulty-reasoning hits from 726 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 35.5% and a BS Rank of 22% (17,210 of 21,886 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 78.60% of the article peer group.
The New Orleans Saints and Alvin Kamara have found common ground, and the team’s all-time leading rusher isn’t going anywhere.
The two sides agreed on a restructured contract that will keep Kamara in the black and gold for a 10th season, a source with knowledge confirmed on Wednesday.
The news was first reported by former Saints offensive lineman Terron Armstead, who announced it on his podcast.
The agreement comes after months-long speculation about Kamara's future.
Saints coach Kellen Moore and general manager Mickey Loomis remained coy about whether the team planned for Kamara to return in 2026, even though he was under contract for one more year.
"I just talked to him," Armstead said on his podcast.
"He's pissed off at the last couple years and how the narrative has started to change that he can't do this, that he can't do that.
He hates that."
The Saints used an unconventional contract restructure in March to lower Kamara’s cap hit for next season to $10.5 million, but they wanted to address his contract — either by a pay cut or by moving on — even further.
The Saints added veteran back Travis Etienne on a four-year, $52 million contract in free agency.
Speaking to reporters in June, when he made a surprise appearance at the Saints' voluntary offseason workouts, Kamara said he was excited to play with Etienne and had "no beef" with the Saints.
He indicated he wasn’t bothered by the team’s approach to his status.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life, man,” Kamara said then.
“I learned not to take things personal.
Man, I’m blessed.
Like it is what it is.
We’re in a business that’s unique to a lot of spaces in the world.
Nothing catches me off-guard, man.”
The terms of Kamara’s new contract are not yet available, but the agreement marks the latest compromise between the Saints and an iconic player to keep him around.
Last month, the Saints and Cam Jordan agreed on a one-year contract after the defensive end tested free agency so that Jordan could return for a 16th season.
In the years before that, the Saints negotiated pay cuts with veterans such as Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu and Demario Davis.
The Saints’ negotiations with Kamara, at least publicly, never got contentious, but the saga did draw plenty of interest over the last few months.
The Saints received some criticism for their non-committal approach, most notably from Mathieu.
He suggested New Orleans was disrespecting its all-time leading rusher by not acting in “good faith.”
Mathieu, who retired last year, said he didn’t think the Saints had “the balls to outright cut him” and suggested the franchise wanted Kamara to instead retire.
The situation took another turn in June when Kamara showed up for an OTA session for the first time since 2019.
The visit appeared to even catch Moore off-guard and happened soon after Kamara's agent told the NFL Network that the running back had every intention of playing for the Saints next season.
Kamara’s impromptu visit did not spur a resolution.
Instead, the Saints concluded OTAs and mandatory minicamp with the deal still unresolved.
A month later, the Saints and Kamara finally have reached a compromise just two weeks before training camp begins.
Kamara is coming off his least productive season as a pro.
The 30-year-old posted career lows in several categories, including rushing yards (471) and yards per attempt (3.6) while missing the final six games with a knee injury.
As a team, the Saints struggled in the run game last season, ranking 28th in rushing.
The pronounced struggles are why the Saints not only pursued Etienne but also signed guard David Edwards.
Now that the Saints know Kamara will be on the roster, the New Orleans coaching staff can further envision ways the five-time Pro Bowler can complement Etienne, who’s still expected to be the lead back.
Kamara has said he has no problem sharing carries.
“We’ve done it here before,” Kamara said last month.
“You saw it here with Mark (Ingram) and I.
Latavius (Murray) and I.
Just having two talented backs, it benefits each back.
You gotta try to prepare for both, and it puts (defenses) in a dilemma right there.”
Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate.com
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