Kellen Moore and the New Orleans Saints are dealing with an updated depth chart after Travis Etienne joined Alvin Kamara for the 2026 NFL season. However, the head coach has now raised concerns about Kamara’s future, as retirement may be in consideration.
“Uhhh, I’m not going to get into all of that stuff. I haven’t had those conversations, anyways,” Kellen Moore admitted during a press conference when asked about Alvin Kamara possibly eyeing retirement, via @UnderdogNFL on X.
Kamara is signed to a contract through the 2026 NFL season. If the running back and organization both want to make it happen, Kamara can stay with the Saints for another year, though sharing the backfield with Etienne.
However, the latest half-back addition may signal New Orleans is steering in a different direction. Moore’s offense may not be big enough to accommodate both stars. Perhaps, there’s a new sheriff in “The Big Easy”.
Etienne’s signing could spell trouble for Kamara
Signing Etienne to a four-year, $52 million contract allowed the Saints to breathe a sigh of relief. However—unless Kamara made it known he’s considered stepping away from the NFL—it also puts Kamara on notice.
Etienne may not be as threatening as Kamara is on a receiving back role, but he can still make magic happen. Moreover, Etienne is younger, faster, and—most importantly—less injury-prone than Kamara. So far in his four-season career, Etienne has only missed two games.
As for Kamara, injuries have caused him to miss 23 regular season games. Kamara only managed to stay healthy through his rookie season (2017). Since, he’s missed at least one game every year. It’s not like “AK41” has dealt with a recurring issue, either. Instead, he has come down with several, different injuries, such as concussions, knee and ankle sprains, and rib fractures, per Sportskeeda.