And they say Kamara was washed. (2 Viewers)

[Pocket Hercules]

Good game by Alvin yesterday, greatly aided by solid run blocking. You love to see it as a Saints fan!

I still didn't see a top-15 back, and there were multiple runs yesterday that young Alvin would have cut back for additional yardage and/or taken to the house.

I like the guy and I'm glad he's a Saint, but he's not the generational, HOF-level back that he used to be. He's not a great value for what he is currently being paid, and extending him for big money would still be a mistake. He's still the best we have, and it's meaningful to me that he loves the team and the city, so hopefully they can extend him at a value that makes mutual sense for both Alvin and the team.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

Maybe so, but I'm not talking about his quickness or change of direction. I think his quickness, vision, and balance are still elite, but he's doesn't have the pure straight line speed to run away from people that he did in his first few years. I still think he's easily a top 10 RB and probably top 5.

He's still a great RB but the question is how long can he play at this level? I think he can from two more years but beyond that, it's questionable. RB decline tends to be straight down, not a slow decline.

He's never been a straight line speed dude.

 

[St. Widge]

He's never been a straight line speed dude.

He was his first few years. He was clearly faster than his 40 showed.

In those early years he had everything, elite quickness, vision, balance, and break away speed. But he doesn't have that second gear to pull away from people anymore or outrun the angle. But, he's till an elite back due to his quickness, vision, and balance. And that second gear only matters a few times per year anyway. And, it didn't matter at all as long as they were running him up the middle in the back of our interior OL that wasn't getting any push.

And, you don't need great straight line speed to be very successful in this offense on the NFL in general. That's been proven going back at least as far as Terrell Davis in this offense.

 

[BreesusSaves]

He was his first few years.

Kamara is Jerry Rice speed. Faster in pads on the gridiron than in the underwear olympics.

 

[No2DC]

There is a difference between pointing out a player's age and saying he is washed. One game does not change the reality that paying an aging RB a non-team-friendly deal is not a good idea.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

Kamara's forte is that initial burst...and IIRC there was an article posted like 3 weeks ago talking about just that and how it's still a thing.

 

[sfidc3]

Maybe so, but I'm not talking about his quickness or change of direction. I think his quickness, vision, and balance are still elite, but he's doesn't have the pure straight line speed to run away from people that he did in his first few years. I still think he's easily a top 10 RB and probably top 5.

He's still a great RB but the question is how long can he play at this level? I think he can from two more years but beyond that, it's questionable. RB decline tends to be straight down, not a slow decline.

I understand, I also think straight line speed is horribly overrated, I also believe that he still has it.....hopefully we find out soon (because it would be mean a long TD run).....

I don't think he is your typical nearing 30 RB.....others may disagree, that is fine.....

 

[Bill]

Yea I was in that camp that he may have hit the wall, but optimistic to see if it was him or the play call and today showed me he’s every bit of the player he’s always been. Amazing to see him used correctly again!!

I knew that Kamara hadn't hit any proverbial wall. The issue always was that there was no imagination with play calling in recent seasons. The opponents always knew when he was getting the ball and how best to smack him in the backfield before he could make a move. But Kubiak showed how to get our boy out in space and allow him to do what he does best. I'm looking forward to some more big performances from Alvin this year!

 

[sfidc3]

Good game by Alvin yesterday, greatly aided by solid run blocking. You love to see it as a Saints fan!

I still didn't see a top-15 back, and there were multiple runs yesterday that young Alvin would have cut back for additional yardage and/or taken to the house.

I like the guy and I'm glad he's a Saint, but he's not the generational, HOF-level back that he used to be. He's not a great value for what he is currently being paid, and extending him for big money would still be a mistake. He's still the best we have, and it's meaningful to me that he loves the team and the city, so hopefully they can extend him at a value that makes mutual sense for both Alvin and the team.

You have to be joking.....multiple runs that he should have done better? That is patently delusional.....there are very few RB's in the NFL that could have made the plays he made yesterday, and dude is money as a receiver.....

At 30 he's likely not going to command big money anyways.....

 

[Pocket Hercules]

You have to be joking.....multiple runs that he should have done better? That is patently delusional.....there are very few RB's in the NFL that could have made the plays he made yesterday, and dude is money as a receiver.....

At 30 he's likely not going to command big money anyways.....

I'm not.

 

[St. Widge]

Kamara's forte is that initial burst...and IIRC there was an article posted like 3 weeks ago talking about just that and how it's still a thing.

I don't disagree. I'm just saying he can't pull away from guys the way he could his first few years. Some of that is I think he put on 10 or so pounds of muscle to handle the grind of a season. So, it may not be age related.

 

[St. Widge]

I understand, I also think straight line speed is horribly overrated, I also believe that he still has it.....hopefully we find out soon (because it would be mean a long TD run).....

I don't think he is your typical nearing 30 RB.....others may disagree, that is fine.....

That's fair and you might be right that he beats the odds and can play longer than the average RB. I personally think he probably has 2 to 3 more years including this one where he can play at an elite level which would put him into his 30s. Which is why I'm hoping that they can come to a reasonable deal for 2 more years beyond this one that makes both sides happy. I think that number is in the $8 to $9 million AAV range but I'm not sure where each side is on the money.

 

[Elvis]

I don't disagree. I'm just saying he can't pull away from guys the way he could his first few years. Some of that is I think he put on 10 or so pounds of muscle to handle the grind of a season. So, it may not be age related.

I agree with this and it's relative to him player, not to other players. If he once had 6 speeds when he was younger he has 5 now and could lose another one at any time, as is the trend with running backs. He's still playing good today, but his abilities have diminished and will diminish further.

 

[Stalwart385]

He was used properly vs the Panthers (20 touches) 15 rushes for 80+ yards and 5 receptions for 20+ yards which gave him the typical 100 all purpose yard game that made him the versatile back Payton envisioned and used when he drafted him, not the bell cow DA and PC tried to use him as.

He didn't play a good chunk of that game because we were so far ahead. He was probably on pace for 30 touches. I think he's still going to be the "bell cow", just in a different scheme. I don't see the other RBs stepping up to create a real time share anyway.

 

[SpinnerSaint]

I was convinced he was getting old and slow. Boy am I happy to be wrong - he looked great yesterday! Best most exciting Saints game I've seen in a long time.