Are you worried about the AK contract situation? (1 Viewer)

[max]

When this first became a thing at the end of minicamp, I didn't give it much thought, but I'm talking myself into being more worried.

He'll be 29 when the new season starts, and that's historically when RB's start to lose some of their fastball. The way the Saints manage their cap, they have the number written in ink that they're willing to pay every player and it's planned out years into the future. Some teams never pay 2nd contracts to running backs, they just draft one every three years.

I hope this gets resolved before training camp starts and I'm worried about nothing.

Thoughts?

I’d only be worried if they gave him $1 more. He has the highest cap on the team and has been on the downside of his career for more than a year.

 

[HouseCall]

Guess is he will sign a 2 year 18m or something close to.

That’s my hope too! I think he just wants to get another hit of guaranteed money.

He has to know that if it’s a long deal he wants - it’ll be coming from another team that would perhaps overpay for a running back over 30.

 

[BELOWSEALEVEL]

2 year deal and fine him for the last day of MANDATORY mini camp

 

[Saint KayBee]

I’d be worried if he waited til August to hold out.

Money’s there, this is a negotiation of how.

 

[Saint1977]

What does a good contract look like numbers wise?

2 year 23 million with 15 Million Guaranteed?

 

[SweetT]

Look at it this way.....We had great running backs before him and we will have great running backs after him. But I do hope we give him at least another 2 years.

The only great RB we had (past 25 years) before AK41 was Deuce McAllister. Reggie and MI were not great, you can say they were good, but not great. PT (I’m his biggest fan) was good at what he did, but not great. Sproles was good, but not great. I’m not saying that they were not great at some things, I’m saying overall in terms of the total package great, non complimentary

 

[RaginCajun83]

No

 

[BreesusSaves]

Not worried at all. I love AK but I do not want to see the Saints make the same mistake they made with Cam Jordan. If they can't work something out beyond this year, I will be sad but would prefer they not tie significant money into a player that is extremely close to the wall age.

 

[Merl]

If it goes into training camp I'll be worried. If he pulls a stunt like CJGJ did then expect to see a trade.

 

[State Of Affairs]

Yes I’m worried, I’m worried they might extend him a give him more money. I want to see how this season plays out first for him.

A little talked about possibility is not that Kamara is looking for more money but the Saints are asking him to take a cut.

Several of the older players took team friendly deals…

 

[wnelson]

not too worried.

 

[Andrus]

Here are the current RBs on the Saints roster:



Here are the available FA RBs from Spotrac...



Any decisions made on Kamara have to factor in both of the above.

So, regarding any talk about trading him...

Kendre Miller would likely be next up on the current roster, but can you trust he can stay healthy? Jamaal Williams is 29, and has he lost a step? He and Kamara didn't have a lot of OL help last season, but he sure didn't look like the same guy that he was in Detroit. James Robinson is fascinating as he was dazzling his rookie season with Jacksonville, didn't have as great a 2nd season as he shared snaps more, and tore his Achilles in week 16 of that season, which was 2021. He's only played in 12 games since, but Robinson is only 25, and if he can regain form, he could be a real factor in both the running and passing game. Mims and Kibodi are unproven, so we can't really factor in the unknown.

The question is: Are the Saints content with that group without Kamara? I doubt it.

Looking at what is available in FA. Damien Harris retired. Cam Akers has had injury problems as he has torn his Achilles twice, the second tear occurred this past season. Kareem Hunt is intriguing, but he is the same age as Kamara and only averaged 3.0 yards per carry last season with the Browns. Marlon Mack is coming of an Achilles injury he suffered in training camp last year. I like Eno Benjamin, but he is also coming off a ruptured Achilles, and I don't know where he is with that rehab. You would think that, like Mack, after ten months since their injuries, they should be close, but still, those were not minor injuries. Lynn Bowden is more of a receiver. Josh Kelley hasn't distinguished himself, but might be worth a flyer, Breida looked like his wheels fell off last season, and both Latavious Murray and Jerick McKinnon are well over 30.

The questions with that group are: are any of them worth considering as either an adequate replacement for Kamara or fortification behind Kamara's backups?

Kamara is under contract, and the Saints don't really have to do anything. Not doing anything would basically mean this would be Kamara's last season with the Saints. I would want to accommodate him with a restructure, which is the most likely resolution, however, considering Kamara's age, I don't think it will be an easy negotiation, but in the end I think it will get done. So, not not too worried.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

No because something will ultimately get worked out

 

[Yingers70]

What if he puts up McCaffrey numbers? Do you still give him that type of money going into his 30s?

Absolutely not. At his age? Due to us not fixing our cap situation after Brees, we can not afford him. We have other younger players we need to sign.

 

[SweetT]

Here are the current RBs on our roster:



Here are the available FA RBs from Spotrac...



Any decisions made on Kamara's contract have to be done, factoring in both of the above.

So, regarding any talk about trading him...

Kendre Miller would likely be next up on the current roster, but can you trust he can stay healthy? Jamaal Williams is 29, and has he lost a step? He and Kamara didn't have a lot of OL help last season, but he sure didn't look like the same guy that he was in Detroit. James Robinson is fascinating as he was dazzling his rookie season with Jacksonville, didn't have as great a 2nd season as he shared snaps more, and tore his Achilles in week 16 of that season, which was 2021. He's only played in 12 games since, but Robinson is only 25, and if he can regain form, he could be a real factor in both the running and passing game. Mims and Kibodi are unproven, so we can't really factor in the unknown.

The question is: Are the Saints content with that group without Kamara? I doubt it.

Looking at what is available in FA. Damien Harris retired. Cam Akers has had injury problems as he has torn his Achilles twice, the second tear occurred this past season. Kareem Hunt is intriguing, but he is the same age as Kamara and only averaged 3.0 yards per carry last season with the Browns. Marlon Mack is coming of an Achilles injury he suffered in training camp last year. I like Eno Benjamin, but he is also coming off a ruptured Achilles, and I don't know where he is with that rehab. You would think that, like Mack, after ten months since their injuries, they should be close, but still, those were not minor injuries. Lynn Bowden is more of a receiver. Josh Kelley hasn't distinguished himself, but might be worth a flyer, Breida looked like his wheels fell off last season, and both Latavious Murray and Jerick McKinnon are well over 30.

The questions with that group are: are any of them worth considering as either an adequate replacement for Kamara or fortification behind Kamara's backups?

Kamara is under contract, and the Saints don't really have to do anything. Not doing anything would basically mean this would be Kamara's last season with the Saints. I would want to accommodate him with a restructure, which is the most likely resolution, however, considering Kamara's age, I don't think it will be an easy negotiation, but in the end I think it will get done. So, not not too worried.

By that list of FAs, we better work out a deal with AK41. If I were forced to choose a name on that list, I’d probably say Akers bc of his age.