So much for the Kumbaya spirit of Saints camp.
Alvin Kamara’s walk-out because of a contract dispute with the team didn’t just raise eyebrows on Airline Drive. It opened eyes around the NFL.
Because of Kamara’s talent, tenure and profile, his bold decision to skip the team’s final mandatory practice was significant in many ways.
One, these things rarely happen with the Saints. Historically, the team has managed to avoid such public disputes, especially with star players like Kamara. What happened Thursday was rare.
Two, the public display of displeasure flew in the face of the positive vibe that has permeated Saints camp so far this offseason. It came just two days after head coach Dennis Allen had praised his players for their focus and commitment this offseason.
“I think our guys have done a pretty good job of minimizing distractions and focusing on the task at hand here, while we’re in the building,” Allen said. “We’re just going to keep going to work every day. I like our process and I like what we’re doing right now.”
There’s no way the Saints could have liked what happened Thursday.
This was a distraction team officials didn’t need just as everyone was ready to leave town for summer vacation.
Allen clearly was caught off-guard by the move and had few answers for reporters at his post-practice news conference, saying he hadn’t spoken to the star running back and wasn’t sure why he wasn’t at practice.
Trust me, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis will not be happy about the public way this was handled by Kamara’s camp.
So how did we get here?
It’s actually easy to see how things reached this point.
For Kamara, it’s all about leverage and long-term security.
He is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $75 million contract extension he signed in 2020 and is scheduled to earn $11.8 million this season and $24.4 million next year.
There’s no way the Saints are going to pay him that much money next year. Kamara knows it. His agents know it. And the Saints know it.
The fact that the Saints did not re-work Kamara’s contract this offseason is notable. It’s understandable for Kamara and his camp to want to know if he’s part of the club’s long-term plans before the start of the upcoming season.
If you’re the Saints, though, it makes sense to remain non-committal and take a wait-and-see approach. Kamara will turn 29 next month and his production has declined precipitously in recent years. It would be fiscally irresponsible to lock into a long-term extension with Kamara before seeing how he performs in Klint Kubiak’s new offense this season.
So here we are. At a stalemate. With both sides trying to gain leverage.
The Saints don’t have to do anything. Kamara is under contract for two more seasons and Loomis is a notoriously shrewd negotiator. He’s no rube when it comes to leverage games and will not be pressured into doing a deal.
Then again, the Saints are entering a make-or-break season for Allen and have no running back on the roster with Kamara’s talent, experience and pedigree.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, but at this point, it’s difficult to see it being resolved amicably anytime soon.
