Saints' Kellen Moore Addresses Alvin Kamara's Future After Travis Etienne Contract

For now, New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore isn't expecting anything to change regarding the status of veteran running back Alvin Kamara.

The Saints reportedly agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal with Travis Etienne Jr., which is a sizable investment in their backfield. Once that move surfaced, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport quickly reported there were questions over Kamara's future in the league:

Moore didn't discuss the retirement rumors in much depth Thursday but said the team is operating under the assumption the five-time Pro Bowler is returning:

Setting aside the possibility Kamara walks away, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that rival teams are keeping tabs on the situation should he become available in a trade.

The 30-year-old is coming off his worst season in the NFL, he's a free agent next spring, and the Saints are adding the best running back on the market. It's not too difficult to connect the dots here.

New Orleans also amended Kamara's contract to ease his salary cap burden for 2026:

Etienne's and Kamara's skills don't totally overlap.

Etienne has run for 1,000-plus yards in three of his first four seasons, a milestone Kamara has yet to hit. The longtime Saints star, however, has been a much better pass-catcher. His 39.3 receiving yards per game are nearly double that of Etienne (20.3).

The two could pair very well together if utilized correctly.

New Orleans needed to do something to strengthen its ground game anyway after finishing 28th in rushing yards. The offense needed reinforcements.

When the Saints have the most expensive running back room in the league, though, people are inevitably going to wonder whether a change is coming. Moore's relatively vague remarks won't lessen those doubts.