Saints reveal star-studded Alvin Kamara backup plan with free-agent visit

Kareem Hunt could be making his way to the NFC South as Alvin Kamara insurance for the New Orleans Saints.

With the New Orleans Saints being without Alvin Kamara to start the year, they are wisely kicking the tires on former Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns star running back Kareem Hunt.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the former NFL rushing leader will be making a visit with the Saints on Monday. New Orleans is arguably the favorite to come out of the putrid NFC South. While they have the best quarterback in-division, Derek Carr will be making his team debut this season after having come over from the Las Vegas Raiders. Adding Hunt to the mix seems smart.

A running back tandem of Hunt and Kamara might be every bit as good as what Atlanta will have.

Should the Saints end up signing Hunt, it could be enough to get New Orleans over the top.

NFL rumors: Saints getting a visit from Kareem Hunt on Monday

While I fully anticipate the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulling back considerably in their first season without Tom Brady, it feels like a total crapshoot for divisional supremacy between New Orleans, the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. New Orleans and Atlanta may have the slight edge over the Panthers, but they also just landed a potential superstar at quarterback in Bryce Young.

What I like about New Orleans potentially adding Hunt is he is the perfect No. 2 running back in any NFL offense. He thrived for years backing up Nick Chubb in Cleveland. Hunt was able to reinvent himself after off-the-field issues derailed his promising career with the Chiefs. Given that Saints head coach Dennis Allen is a defensive-mind, ball control could be the way to go offensively now.

Overall, you have to applaud the Saints for being aggressive this late into the offseason. Every move they make could make or break this team. Although they do not have to be world beaters to host a home playoff game, nobody in the NFC South seems capable of getting to Las Vegas in February. Then again, Carr, Hunt and company could do enough to change the Saints’ fortunes.

If the Saints were to sign Hunt as a free agent, he makes New Orleans better and Cleveland worse.