New Orleans Saints’ Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara entered the 2020 NFL season with a new contract after all. The team announced over the weekend that they have inked Kamara to a five-year extension, which will keep him with the franchise through 2025.
The extension comes after a turbulent couple of weeks in which the relationship between player and the team seemed strained. Kamara missed several practices, reportedly sitting out in an attempt to force a new deal, while Saints went as far as considering trading the 25-year-old player.
However, things cooled down after a bit, and the two sides managed to hammer a new deal before the Week 1 kicked off. Prior to signing the extension, Kamara was entering the final year of his rookie deal that pays him $2.1 million in 2020.
Kamara’s five-year extension is reportedly worth $75 million and comes with $34.3 million in guarantees. He will earn $15 million per year, which makes puts him among the top three highest-paid RBs. Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott also averages $15 million annually while Carolina Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey remains the top earner at the position with a $16 million yearly salary.
Teams have been reluctant to shell out big money on running backs lately, considering that such deals ended up proving bad in the past. However, New Orleans Saints feel comfortable giving Alvin Kamara his payday as he is one of the best dual-threats in the game.
With the combination of size, speed, and awareness, Kamara excelled in both running and passing game since entering the league as a third-round pick out of Tennessee in 2017. He rushed for 2,408 and 27 touchdowns combined in the past three years, while also making 243 catches for 2,068 receiving yards and 10 TDs. On top of that, he also served as a returner.
Kamara has three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances and one Second-team All-Pro selection to his name.
