The New Orleans Saints prepare to face a challenging 2026 NFL season after finishing the 2025 campaign on a positive note. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough confirmed that they made the right move by picking him in last year’s draft, but the roster around him still needed work.
New Orleans made a splash and signed Travis Etienne Jr. in free agency, in a move that could have major ramifications. Etienne, 27, is an upgrade over 31-year-old running back Alvin Kamara. As soon as reports surfaced, Kamara’s future became a topic.
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On Thursday, head coach Kellen Moore discussed where the team stands with Kamara. Moore didn’t get into much detail and said they would go to the “process” before Kamara makes a decision.
“We’d like to go through that process, certainly,” Moore said. “And so we feel, obviously, we know Alvin means a lot to us. Again, we are three days in this thing. We’ve signed Travis, and we’ll go through that process.”
Alvin Kamara posted his worst season to date in 2025. He played 11 games, carrying the ball 131 times for 471 yards and one touchdown. The Saints finished 6-11, but they went on a 4-1 run to end the season.
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Kellen Moore praises Travis Etienne amid Alvin Kamara saga
After refusing to get into details about whether Kamara will retire or not, Moore praised Travis Etienne. The running back joined on a four-year, $52 million deal.
“We know we love Alvin and Travis is a really special player,” Moore said. “Certainly identified that (Travis) is a really good fit and really good timing. He’s gone through those first few years of his league. He had to navigate a little bit of some stuff early in his career, got through that.
“Then I thought last year, his film was just was really, really good.”
The former Jaguars star played 17 games in 2025, carrying the ball 260 times for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns.
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