Saints and Kamara are "Extremely Close" to a Contract Extension

The New Orleans Saints and RB Alvin Kamara are reportedly very close to a contract extension.

The New Orleans Saints and RB Alvin Kamara are reportedly very close to a contract extension.

Last Tuesday, reports swirled that the Saints were open to trading star RB Alvin Kamara. A week later, those trade talks look like a distant memory as the two sides hope to finalize a lucrative contract in the next few days, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Two sides, Saints and Alvin Kamara, both want and need the deal to get done. Players off today, so there’s one window to get done the deal. But it’s coming. All the talk has brought them both to the finish line. https://t.co/yaoCt00Yn3

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 8, 2020

Kamara told the media early in August that he is not worried about a new contract and was strictly focused on week 1 of the 2020 season.

“Me and my agent talked briefly about it and I said, don’t tell me anything about a contract until it’s like something where it’s happening of if it’s something that I need to know, other than that, like if I was my own agent then I’d have everything to tell you guys about a contract, but I’m not. I don’t talk upstairs about contracts, I don’t talk to coaches about contracts. I’m just here to do my job. I’m healthy. I’m back with my teammates. We’re working towards getting ready for Tampa.”

After practice Monday, Kamara reaffirmed his focus on Week 1, refusing to answer questions on his contract status and diverting his answers to the day at practice and installment of this Week’s game plan.

"I ain't ever held out in my life," exclaimed Kamara to the media.  However, he repeated, “It was a good day. We focused on Tampa. We install the first part of the game plan, just kind of getting the kinks and flows out, some of those little kinks out… We’re focusing on the day off tomorrow and be back Wednesday.”   Alvin Kamara

Heading into a contract year in 2020, Kamara is due just over $2M in the last year of his contract with the Saints. Kamara looks for a substantial extension close to the deals of Christian McCaffrey (4 years, $64M), Derrick Henry (4 years, $50M), and, most recently, Joe Mixon (4 years, $48M).

Kamara was in the building every day despite the rumors he accumulated three consecutive days of unexcused absences from the team’s practice. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Alvin Kamara was missing from the Saints practices because of an epidural shot in his back. Kamara returned to Saints practice on Wednesday.

Current Contract

Kamara is scheduled to earn $2,133,000 base salary with a $243,193 prorated bonus in 2020. Kamara's 2017 NFL Draft classmate Christian McCaffrey will have a base salary of $825,000 and a bonus of $6,969,782 for 2020. In April, McCaffrey signed a four-year contract extension with the Panthers averaging $16M per year. His contract became the richest in NFL history for a running back.   John Hendrix, Saints News Network

The New Orleans Saints open the 2020 season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 13th. The Saints will host the game with no fans in attendance.

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