3 teams that should call to save Alvin Kamara from New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints' season hit a new low with a 31-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. The offense continues to struggle, despite what appears to be a perfect marriage between offensive coordinator and quarterback on paper.
Derek Carr is a vintage air-it-out QB. Pete Carmichael loves to scheme his offense around the pass. New Orleans also has a ton of explosive weapons, from Chris Olave and Michael Thomas in the WR room to five-time Pro Bowl RB Alvin Kamara. And yet, the Saints' offense ranks on the bottom end of average in every major category.
Kamara feels like a real casualty in the current Saints' system. He's still capable of superstar production — 29 touches for 153 yards from scrimmage in Thursday's loss — but the infrastructure around him is crumbling. The Saints, at 3-4, are behind the Buccaneers (3-2) and the Falcons (3-3) in the NFC South.
It could be time for the Saints to consider a teardown, or at the very least a serious redecorating. Kamara deserves to play for a contender. Here are a few teams who should be hounding the Saints' phone lines ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a clear path to winning the NFC South (again) with the Saints, Falcons, and especially Panthers all looking completely incompetent on offense. It's hard to profess genuine trust in Baker Mayfield, but Tampa has a talented batch of veterans left over from the Tom Brady era.
One glaring hole on the roster, however, is running back. The Bucs rank dead last in the NFL in rushing yards with second-year RB Rachaad White averaging a middling 3.3 yards per carry. The Bucs essentially don't score on the ground. That is partially due to the offensive line, partially due to the offensive system, and partially due to a stark lack of established talent at the key position.
Kamara would immediately elevate the Bucs' ground attack. Even if he's not the stud runner of old, Kamara can grind out early-down yards and break through gaps for the occasional explosive play. He's also a talented receiver. That flexibility could make him a favorite safety blanket for Mayfield.
Given the absurdly low price of RBs on the current market, Tampa can probably get a Pro Bowl upgrade at a position of need without sacrificing a day-one draft pick. It's a no-brainer. The Saints would have to essentially admit defeat in the division to make this trade, but Tampa should at least make the call.