New Orleans Saints Star Alvin Kamara Breaks Silence on Trade Rumors Linking Him to Dallas Cowboys
Kamara embraces Saints’ new backfield committee after team signs Travis Etienne; addresses Dallas speculation for first time
NEW ORLEANS — Alvin Kamara is not going anywhere. At least, that is what he wants you to believe.
The New Orleans Saints’ five-time Pro Bowl running back released a definitive statement on Monday regarding the swirling trade rumors that have persistently linked him to the Dallas Cowboys, choosing a public appearance on “The Set” podcast to address his future head-on.
In his most extensive comments since the Saints stunned the NFL by signing former Jacksonville Jaguars back Travis Etienne to a four-year, $48 million deal in March, Kamara made his position clear: He intends to remain a Saint, even if that means sharing the backfield for the first time since the days of Mark Ingram.
“One person can’t do it by themselves, so I’m cool with it, man,” Kamara said, responding directly to questions about the crowded running back room . “Whatever, whichever direction that we can take it, I mean, I’m with it.”
The statement comes at a critical juncture. With the June 1st deadline looming—a date that fundamentally alters the financial logistics of any potential Kamara trade—the veteran back is attempting to squelch speculation that he will be donning the star on his helmet in Arlington next season.
The ‘Bizarre Place’ in the Big Easy
The tension surrounding Kamara’s future has been described as a “bizarre place” by league insiders . While the player himself sounds like a man planning for training camp in Louisiana, the front office moves suggest a team preparing for a divorce.
Just days before signing Etienne, the Saints restructured Kamara’s contract. While that move freed up $8 million in much-needed cap space for New Orleans, it also made the Pro Bowler significantly easier to trade after June 1. If moved before that date, the Saints would eat a catastrophic $18 million in dead cap. After June 1, that number drops to a palatable $10 million, actually netting the team cap savings .
“It ain’t nothing but some help in the backfield,” Kamara insisted, rejecting the narrative that Etienne’s signing was meant to push him out the door. “I’m excited to see what we could do together. I think a lot of people be thinking it’s like beef or something when moves like this happen and it’s like, ‘man, I couldn’t be happier.’ One, my boy got paid and, two, like it ain’t nothing but some help in the backfield” .
Yet, the Saints’ actions speak volumes. General Manager Mickey Loomis was recently asked by SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio if the team was on the same page with Kamara regarding his future. His answer was notably evasive.
“I think we’re still trying to work through that to see where we’re at roster-wise,” Loomis said. “I’d rather not comment on it right now, but it’s certainly an exciting possibility” .
When pressed on whether other teams were calling, Loomis demurred entirely: “I’d rather keep that to myself at this point” .
For a player who has spent nine years in New Orleans—becoming the franchise’s all-time leading rusher in the process—the lack of a public commitment from the front office is a glaring signal that the Cowboys’ interest may be more than just internet rumor mongering.
Dallas: The ‘Top Landing Spot’
The speculation connecting Kamara to the Dallas Cowboys is not a new phenomenon, but it has reached a fever pitch as the calendar turns toward summer. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox recently named Dallas the “top landing spot” for the veteran back, a sentiment echoed by multiple outlets covering the Cowboys’ offseason needs .
From a football perspective, the fit is tantalizing. The Cowboys currently employ Javonte Williams as their featured back. While Williams enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025—finishing in the top 10 in carries, yards, and touchdowns—the depth behind him is alarmingly thin . Behind Williams, the next leading rusher on the roster finished the season with just 52 carries .
Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer has publicly challenged his backup running backs to step up, specifically calling out second-year back Jaydon Blue. But for a team with championship aspirations centered around quarterback Dak Prescott, relying on unproven depth is a gamble .
Alvin Kamara, even at 30 and coming off statistically the worst season of his career (471 yards, 1 touchdown), offers a dimension the Cowboys currently lack: elite route-running ability out of the backfield. The Sporting News notes that adding Kamara would give Dallas “one of the most dynamic RB units in the league,” pairing Williams’ between-the-tackles power with Kamara’s open-field elusiveness .
Yahoo Sports’ Adam Schultz pointed out that the Cowboys have shown a willingness to make aggressive trades recently, having acquired wideout George Pickens last summer. Spending a late-round pick on a talent like Kamara is “not out of the realm of possibilities” .
The Financial Standoff
If the Cowboys want to make this splash, they will have to navigate a tricky financial landscape—but it is not impossible.
Kamara is currently playing on a two-year, $24.5 million extension he signed in October 2024. His cap hit for 2026 sits at roughly $10.45 million . For a Dallas team that has historically been hesitant to spend big money on aging running backs, that figure is significant but not exorbitant, especially for a one-year rental.
The Athletic’s recent analysis suggests the Saints would likely accept a “bargain offer” for Kamara simply to get the salary off the books, potentially a Day 3 pick in the 2027 draft .
However, there is a massive caveat that has given every general manager in the league—including Dallas’s Jerry Jones—pause: Kamara has previously stated he would rather drink piña coladas on a beach than play for another team.
“I don’t want to go anywhere, and I’ve said it countless times,” Kamara said before the 2025 trade deadline. “If Mickey comes down and says that, I’m going to drink a piña colada somewhere” .
That threat of retirement looms over any trade negotiation. Why would the Cowboys surrender a draft pick for a player who has publicly stated he has no interest in showing up to their facility?
The Etienne Dynamic
Much of the rationale for moving Kamara hinges on the presence of Travis Etienne. The former first-round pick out of Clemson is nearly four years younger than Kamara and coming off a 1,100-yard season in Jacksonville. The Saints did not pay him $12 million a year to be a complementary piece .
But Kamara is refusing to view Etienne as a rival. Instead, he is channeling the dynamic he shared with Mark Ingram in 2017, a tandem that combined for over 3,000 scrimmage yards.
“I think that’s what we [are] trying to find,” Kamara said. “Me and Mark set the bar very high. That’s what efficiency looks like on a very high level… I ain’t going to say we’re going to recreate that, but we’ll see. We gotta get close, we gotta reach for it” .
This is the crux of the issue. Kamara wants to rewrite his legacy in New Orleans as the ultimate team player. The Saints, however, may see an aging asset with a large cap number who is coming off a knee injury that cut his 2025 season short .
RotoBaller’s recent analysis suggests that if Kamara stays, his fantasy value (and by extension, his real-life usage) will take a “massive hit” in what is now a complementary role .
What Happens After June 1?
As the NFL world turns its calendar to May, all eyes are on the June 1st post-deadline. Once that date passes, the Saints can move on from Kamara without financial ruin.
For the Dallas Cowboys, the math is simple. They need a third-down weapon. They need a veteran presence who can protect Dak Prescott in the pocket and turn a five-yard swing pass into a 70-yard house call.
Sports Illustrated’s Cowboys Country notes that while rookie Jaydon Blue has speed, he has not yet earned the “full trust of the coaching staff.” If Blue fails to impress during OTAs, the pressure to acquire a sure thing like Kamara will become overwhelming .
For now, however, the man at the center of the storm is holding his ground.
“I’m excited,” Kamara reiterated. “He’s got a fleur-de-lis on his helmet and he got paid. Now, it’s time to go to work” .
Whether that work happens in the humidity of Metairie or the heat of a Dallas summer remains the single biggest question hanging over the NFC South as the 2026 season approaches.
