The New Orleans Saints made a big splash early in free agency, signing former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne to a four-year contract. Leading the way may be Etienne’s backcourt, as there are now more rumors surrounding Alvin Kamara’s retirement. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport gave some credence to the Kamara rumors when it came to the Etienne trade.
“(Etienne’s signing) calls into question Kamara’s status, he re-signed, and I think it’s fair to say that some people wondered if he was going to leave the game in his prime and end up on the beach with a mai tai, and I believe that’s how he described it,” Rapoport said.
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While it’ll be sad to see Kamara hang up his sneakers, it’s not the most surprising thing in the world. He’s entering his age-30 season and has been banged up at some point throughout his career. He played in just 11 games last year and hasn’t appeared in more than 14 games since 2022. A running back’s career is already the shortest in the league, and he’s done it in nine years. At this point, he didn’t have much reason to keep going, unless he just wanted to.
Over the past three years, Kamara has averaged 1,103 yards per game and scored five touchdowns from scrimmage. Playing only 11 games last year certainly hurt, but regardless, his production per game dropped significantly. Even if he does return, Etienne will be the one who touches the ball the most in the backfield. As Rapoport mentioned, the Saints just reworked their deal with the former third-round pick. Retirement would essentially take $3 million in guarantees off the books for 2026, saving the Saints a little money.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints signing Travis Etienne could signal Alvin Kamara’s retirement
