The New Orleans Saints have gotten a head start on paying their key players in recent years. However, it remains to be seen if that will be the case for running back Alvin Kamara.
Kamara is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and will undoubtedly be looking for a lucrative extension. ESPN's Mike Triplett expects him to hold out.
Kamara has not announced any plans to do this. But it feels like a no-brainer since he is heading into the final year of a supremely discounted rookie contract (he was a third-round pick). Perhaps the Saints will pay Kamara quickly, like they did with wide receiver Michael Thomas last summer. But agreeing on Kamara's market value could prove more difficult since there aren't many perfect comparisons for him and since all NFL teams wrestle with how much to pay their backs.
Kamara has emerged as one of the elite running backs in the NFL thanks to his versatile skill set as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. Although he is coming off a disappointing showing in the 2019 NFL season, there is no question that he has already managed to provide New Orleans with plenty of bang for their buck as a former third-round pick.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott set the market last offseason with a six-year extension worth $90 million that included $50 million guaranteed. The bar will likely be raised with the looming contracts of Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.
There is plenty of debate regarding whether or not teams should pay such a steep price tag for a running back. It seems the Saints will be among those that are forced to give their answer in the near future.
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