Irvine, Calif. – Alvin Kamara made clear two things Wednesday, among a myriad topics, following the New Orleans Saints’ first training camp practice at the University of California, Irvine.
One, the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdowns (78) and rushing touchdowns (54) wants to retire as a Saint.
Two, he wants a restructured contract.
The gap remains in how the franchise and the eight-year running back will navigate the current space as he pursues yet another team record in 2024 (he’s 672 yards short of topping Mark Ingram II’s mark of 6,500). Kamara and the Saints agreed on a five-year extension in 2020, which is the current deal he plays under, with no salary guaranteed in the final year.
Kamara reported to training camp and participated in the team conditioning drill Tuesday, and said his intent always was to be at training camp even though he missed the team’s final minicamp practice in June.
NFL players can be assessed non-retractable fines for unexcused camp absences.
“I ain’t stupid, I ain’t gonna give the money up (in fines),” Kamara said, with a smile. “I’m trying to get some money, right? I was going to be here.
“There’s no one with a jersey on – I wouldn’t even blame any coaches – what’s going on with contract issues right now. This happens all across the league. It’s happened here, it’s happened everywhere – people trying to get contracts, trying to get paid. I’d be a fool to spite my teammates because of a dispute I’m having with (management). I wouldn’t even call it a dispute; we’re just having conversations about compensation.
“I was going to be here. I’m not that guy. I’m for the team. I’m here, I’m doing what I’ve got to do, I’m working.”
Kamara took a portion of offensive reps Wednesday during team drills, and reported to camp the way he always has, in shape and ready to go.
“I liked what I saw, I appreciate the fact that he’s out here, he’s working with his teammates,” Coach Dennis Allen said. “He’s got a positive attitude, so that’s been good. I’m excited about that, I’m happy about that.”
“I think, any time the player says, ‘You know how I feel,’ and still says, ‘I’m going to show up for my team, I’m going to show up for my organization,’ I think that speaks more to the front office than anything,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “That’s the loudest thing he can say, that’s showing up.
“Working the way that he does – he comes in in the best shape out of anybody, he comes in ready to go, he’s on his assignments, he’s all that. I think that spoke volumes to whoever and whatever he’s trying to get done.”
Kamara said securing an extension is all about him being able to remain a Saint and retire a Saint.
“(The contract is about) looking ahead,” he said. “And I’ve said it before: I want to be a Saint. I want to retire here. If I’ve got to play football somewhere else, I’ll probably be somewhere with my feet kicked up in Africa somewhere, or something like that. But I want to be a Saint.
“For me, I don’t really watch football, I have everything football muted on my social. I don’t even see what’s going on. I don’t know what people say, but for me to set the record (straight), I’m not asking for nothing crazy where it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we can’t do that.’ That’s my perception of it. Whatever the perception is upstairs with whoever makes those decisions, it’s obviously different than what my perception is. So, we just carry on, I’ve got to just do what I do.”
He said that separating the business of football from the game is something he successfully has been able to do in his career.
“A long time ago, two people that I love dearly – Mark Ingram and (defensive end) Cam Jordan – they told me this business is conditional, and don’t take anything personal,” he said. “And I’ve done a good job of that. It’s not really personal, it’s just business. So any decisions that I make, it’s not out of emotion. We’re handling business.
“It’s like playing chess: Somebody makes a move, you’ve got to assess the situation and then you make a move based on what that opponent makes. Not to say we’re opponents, but just analogy-wise. But it’s not personal. It just is what it is. I’m going to come out here, go to work, do what I’ve got to do, kick it with my teammates and if something gets done, it does and if not, then…”
Kamara, who will turn 29 on Thursday, is familiar with the belief that running backs begin a drastic declination in his age group. He had the lowest rushing total (694 yards) of his career last season and his second-fewest receiving yards (466).
But he said he has more productive seasons in him, and that he’s not looking at the running back market contractually, but at his own situation in New Orleans.
“I don’t feel like I’m on the decline,” he said. “I feel like I can play four of five more years if I want to, if it goes there.
“I’m here. I’m going to come out here and do what I do. My bones don’t hurt. My legs are working. My hands work. I don’t feel like I have Aging Running Back Body Syndrome.
“I would love for something to get done. I love the city, I love the fans, I love my teammates. I want to be here. I would love for something to get done but if it doesn’t, then what can I do?”
UP-DOWNS: After the team stretch Wednesday, Allen kept all the defensive players in place for an up-down session. It’s a tradition that started under former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and in-season additions to the defense complete a set of them in their first practice. The set number Wednesday was 40, but Allen ended the session after the unit reached 27. There were no dissenting voices to the abbreviation.
“It’s just part of the buy-in,” Allen said.
UH-OH: Second year running back Kendre Miller, who missed much of training camp last year and was limited to eight of 17 games due to injuries as a rookie, exited Wednesday’s practice early with a hamstring issue. “That’s a player that’s going to have to figure out how to stay healthy, because it’s hard to make the team when you’re in the training room all the time,” Allen said.
HEAVY DUTY: For the record, the Saints shipped roughly six tons of equipment to Irvine to conduct training camp.
