After signing a two-year, $24 million extension with the Saints in October 2024, he is due $3 million in guarantees in the final year of his contract but has a $10.4 cap hit.
When Etienne was signed to a four-year, $52 million contract in March, it signaled that Kamara’s days in the Big Easy were over. If New Orleans releases him, the Saints will suffer 10 million cap hits and save just $376,000 on the salary cap after the June 1 release. However, he would save the team $11.1 million on the 2027 cap. A release before June 1 seems inconceivable as it would leave the Saints with a $24.3 million cap hit and cost them $13.9 million on the cap.
While everyone else was speculating about Kamara’s departure from New Orleans, he has been in Miami training, he said, and has high hopes for the Saints’ 2026 campaign, especially after Shoough had an impressive rookie season.
“There will be high expectations now,” Kamara said.
Kamara’s played all nine of his NFL seasons with the Saints, making five Pro Bowls and scoring 536 points — the most by a non-kicker — while becoming the club’s all-time leading rusher with 7,250 yards.
The talented quarterback said last season that he would “go drink a pina colada somewhere” if the Saints traded him, rather than play for another team.
While he was hardly focused when he spoke with Armstead, it seems unlikely that Kamara will retire. Instead, he’s planning — and hoping — to play his 10th NFL season in the same spot as his previous nine.
Head coach Kellen Moore previously avoided talking directly about what might be next for Kamara and the club, but later said that having Etienne and Kamara as part of the same backfield could be a great situation.
It appears the peak of June will be the first to determine whether Kamara is back with the Saints for another year or has a career decision to make.