Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara suffered an injury scare during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys a few weeks back, and this injury will likely keep him out of Week 1’s matchup against the Detroit Lions. A third-round pick in the New Orleans Saints’ historic 2017 draft class, the Tennessee product quickly established himself as one of the game’s most dynamic playmakers, both as a receiver and a runner. Making five Pro Bowls throughout the course of his career, one could easily make the case that Kamara was the league’s most dangerous back at the peak of his career.
Unfortunately, the star running back has slowed down in recent years, and the team brought in former Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick Travis Etienne to be the team’s starting running back. Alvin Kamara restructured his contract so he could stay around, but he won’t be the featured back as long as Etienne stays on his feet. However, Kamara suffered a scare during a recent practice, and while he avoided a major injury, he won’t be ready for the season opener.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Alvin Kamara is “not expected to play today” and “was a full participant [in practice] late in the week, but was not quite ready.” Reading between the lines, it sounds like Kamara will likely return to the lineup in Week 2, but he’s not quite ready to go now.
Alvin Kamara
| Source: Lastwordonsports.com - David Latham, Managing Editor
Alvin Kamara Injury Update: Saints RB “Didn’t Tear Anything,” Out For A Few Weeks
All things considered, this isn’t too surprising of an outcome for Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints. While it would have obviously been for the best if Kamara were able to suit up, the team appears to be taking a cautious approach with one of the best players in franchise history. If Rapoport is correct and the running back isn’t ready for Week 1, it sounds like he will return to the field before long.
With Alvin Kamara sidelined, former third-round pick Kendre Miller will handle backup duties for the New Orleans Saints. The TCU product beat out sixth-round pick Devin Neal for the RB3 job, but he has yet to do much of anything to justify his third-round draft capital and has battled injury throughout his career.
If Alvin Kamara takes longer than expected to return to health, then perhaps two of these backs could make the team. However, as of right now, it’s safe to assume they’re all fighting for one job.
Main Photo: Stephen Lew – Imagn Images