The 2024 NFL season is now under six weeks away, and there are only 41 days remaining until the New Orleans Saints’ Week 1 kickoff against the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome. As we continue to count down the days left until the Saints first matchup of the season, we look at the corresponding jersey number to the remaining number of days. Today the corresponding number is tied to Saints legend Alvin Kamara.
Aside from Kamara, there have been eight other players to wear the number 41, and most notable to most fans would be Super Bowl-winning defensive back Roman Harper.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the career up to this point for Kamara, and delve into what we may be able to expect from him this upcoming season:
- Name (Age): Alvin Kamara (29)
- Position: Running Back
- Height, weight: 5-foot-10, 215 pounds
- Relative Athletic Score: 8.08
- 2024 salary cap hit: $18,553,824
- College: Tennessee
- Drafted: Round 3 (New Orleans Saints)
- NFL experience: 7 years
Things are intriguing at the running back position for the Saints this year, especially considering the contract negotiations ongoing between the team and Kamara. He does have two years left on his contract, however his cap hit would be set at $29,077,000, which is likely not to stand one way or another. If he does get extended, the obvious method to stretch that amount across the new remaining years would be likely put into play. However, a deal would have to be reached first for that to occur, which is still ongoing.
The last two seasons have been somewhat not up to par for Kamara either, having only four scrimmage touchdowns in 2022 and six in 2023, compared to nine in 2021 and 21 in 2020. Additionally, he also had lower metrics compared to previous seasons, with 2023 marking a career low in rushing yards and scrimmage yards, as well as the second least rush yards per attempt, rush yards per game, and receiving yards. He also struggled to break off larger plays, with his longest rush only being 17 yards and longest reception only being 25 yards, both career lows.
Despite that, injuries have definitely been the most notable cause of these lulls, and if he can remain healthy in 2024 he may be able to improve closer to his 2021 form again. The addition of Klint Kubiak at offensive coordinator will also likely be a boon to his success, as an offense designed to work to the strengths of its players is what this team has needed for quite some time. While the outlook for Kamara may be somewhat up and down, the future could see a positive trend for the veteran Saints legend.
