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Alvin Kamara could land with the Chiefs.
The Kansas City Chiefs need an offensive boost through Week 3, amid a 1-2 start, and grabbing a running back before the trade deadline could fit the bill for the offense.
NFL.com analyst and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew suggests that the Chiefs trade for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara. A five-time Pro Bowler, Kamara still has plenty left in year nine, and the Saints have invested in him with a two-year, $24.5 million contract.
That said, the Chiefs will need to make a strong offer as Kamara has spent his career in the Bayou. However, the Saints are nowhere near Super Bowl contention while the Chiefs are fresh off of a Super Bowl appearance.
“Kamara’s trade value might not be nearly as high as it once was, but by moving the experienced playmaker, New Orleans would pick up draft capital and free up some cap space,” Jones-Drew wrote. “The team that should seriously consider calling GM Mickey Loomis? Kansas City. Kamara could be the answer to many of the Chiefs’ offensive problems.”
Kansas City only cores 20 points per game, and the running game produces 108 yards per game on 4.6 yards per attempt. That puts the Chiefs in the middle of the pack for the running game overall in the league, but none of the running backs are really carrying the load.
Run Game Dropoff After Patrick Mahomes
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the team’s leading rusher at 125 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Isiah Pacheco has 92 yards rushing on 25 carries, and Kareem Hunt has 81 yards on 23 attempts this season. Neither has done much in the passing game as Hunt has four receptions for 23 yards and Pacheco has four receptions for 13 yards.
While the Chiefs could using help on the receiving end, help is on the way with Rashee Rice coming back from a suspension and Xavier Worthy on the way back from injury. Kamara would give Mahomes another reliable target, amid the running back’s 582 receptions for 4,809 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.
Alvin Kamara Has Loyalty to the Saints
Amid the Saints’ slow start, Kamara has 186 yards and a touchdown on 50 carries plus nine catches for 47 yards. He is doing that on an offense the musters 15.7 points per game and 315.3 yards per game as a team, but luring him away from New Orleans might not be easy — even for a Super Bowl contender.
“Kamara has made it known he wants to play for the Saints and the Saints alone,” Jones-Drew wrote. “The five-time Pro Bowl running back has been the focal point of New Orleans’ offense since he was drafted in 2017, and he’s been incredibly steady despite all of the offensive changes during his nine seasons. The 30-year-old still brings great value as a dual-threat running back who defenses must account for on every play.”
“Unfortunately, no matter how great Kamara still is, he can’t stack up wins for New Orleans (0-3) without a lot more help,” Jones-Drew continued. “The Saints are in full rebuild mode — they could very well be in the quarterback market once again next offseason — and need as many assets as they can get.”
Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis
