Alvin Kamara denies requesting a trade

With the Saints losing five in a row and running back Alvin Kamara’s contract ballooning to $25 million in 2025, it makes sense for the Saints to consider the possibility of getting compensation for a player they will be cutting, absent a revised deal.

That doesn’t mean Kamara wants out. He has posted on Twitter that he hasn’t requested a trade.

Kamara separately indicated that he’d like to finish his career in New Orleans.

It’s unclear how the notion emerged that Kamara wants out. Yes, he left mandatory minicamp after talks at extending his contract stalled. But he didn’t hold out from training camp, and there’s been no indication of frustration or a desire for relocation since the season started.

Again, that’s different from whether it’s in the team’s best interests to move on. If the Saints believe they’ll be cutting him after 2024, it makes sense to get value for the remainder of his 2024 contract, once the Saints realize that this year won’t be the year.

The Saints aren’t done yet. Sure, they’re 2-5. With upcoming games against the Chargers and Panthers, the Saints could be 4-5 at the trade deadline. That would make them very much alive for a playoff run.

Lost the next two, and maybe it’s time to sell offs contract belonging to players who likely won’t be back next year.

The tougher call comes if they split the Week 8 and Week 9 games. At 3-6, are they alive — or is a fork stuck in them? If that’s where they stand, whether they trade veteran players at the deadline will be revealing as to how the Saints view their own prospects down the stretch.