If that was his last appearance for New Orleans, that was quite the finale for Alvin Kamara.
Since 2017, the dual-threat running back has been the bell cow of the Saints offense, but that might not be much longer. Recent reports indicate that Kamara may be on the trade block, helping a potential contender
The trade deadline has been already been a bit busier than some were anticipating, and Kamara is one of several big names that remains on the market ahead of the Tuesday deadline.
After the trade of Christian McCaffrey, Kamara is probably the most dynamic offensive playmaker on the market, and after a sluggish start to the year, he notched three touchdowns against the Steelers in a big win.
MORE: NFL trade deadline — 12 players likely to be moved
That awakening might wake up the phone lines in New Orleans. Here’s where he might fit best if he is traded:
Alvin Kamara best trade fits
Bills
Kamara’s standing as a pass catcher is much more intriguing to Buffalo than his ground game. Buffalo ranks fourth in the NFL in passing attempts, first in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns. They rank 20th in rushing attempts, 16th in yards and 26th in rushing touchdowns.
Rumors indicated that the Bills were in the market for Christian McCaffrey before he ultimately ended up out on the West Coast with the 49ers. Adding a true pass-catching threat out of the backfield would give the Bills an elite level player at wide receiver, tight end and running back.
Rams
The 49ers beat the Rams to the punch in the Christian McCaffrey trade war. Would that stop Les Snead from giving up more picks to help out an uncharacteristic, non-explosive Rams offense?
Also adding to the intrigue is the potential breakup between Cam Akers and Los Angeles: Akers and the team are in the middle of an apparent falling out, and LA is looking to deal him. While a 1-for-1 swap wouldn’t be in the cards, it would give the Saints at least a solid player back in that spot.
Eagles
The Eagles were reportedly in on Kamara leading up to Week 8, but no deal was made leading up to the game. Philadelphia rolled to a 7-0 record over state-rival Steelers on Sunday, keeping their undefeated dream alive.
Kamara and Miles Sanders would make for an excellent 1-2 punch in the backfield in a league that’s having difficulty passing the ball right now.
Alvin Kamara stats
After entering the Week 8 matchup vs. the Raiders without a touchdown on the season, Kamara exploded for three touchdowns — one rushing, two receiving — and 158 total yards in the win over the Raiders.
For his career, this is what Kamara has done following Sunday’s win:
| Year | Games | Rushing yards | Rushing TDs | Receiving yards | Receiving TDs | Total yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 16 (3) | 728 | 8 | 826 | 5 | 1,554 |
| 2018 | 15 (13) | 883 | 14 | 709 | 4 | 1,592 |
| 2019 | 14 (9) | 797 | 5 | 533 | 1 | 1,330 |
| 2020 | 15 (10) | 932 | 16 | 756 | 5 | 1,688 |
| 2021 | 13 (10) | 898 | 4 | 439 | 5 | 1,337 |
| 2022 | 5 (5) | 413 | 1 | 287 | 2 | 700 |
