IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Saints running back Alvin Kamara reported for training camp and participated in a conditioning test on Tuesday despite being unsatisfied with his contract.
Kamara’s decision to show up was a welcome sight for Saints coach Dennis Allen and general manager Mickey Loomis after the star running back had walked out of minicamp in June, unhappy about a lack of progress on negotiations toward an extension.
“I haven’t had a conversation with him today, but he’s here. I appreciate that he’s here,” Loomis said.
“I’d say 50 percent of our organization — players, coaches, administrators, scouts — feel like they’re underpaid … and believe they deserve and want more money,” Loomis continued. “But I appreciate that he’s here. He’s in great shape, like he always is, looking for a good season. But more importantly, I think for him, is he wants to win.”
The Saints are scheduled to hold their opening practice of training camp on Wednesday at the University of California at Irvine.
Players were not made available for interviews on Tuesday.
Kamara, who turns 29 on Thursday, has two seasons left on his contract, but none of his more than $22 million salary in 2025 is guaranteed. That means the Saints could enjoy substantial savings by cutting Kamara next year if he struggles either on the field or with his health this season.
This will also be the first season for Kamara and the Saints offense in an overhauled scheme brought in by new coordinator Klint Kubiak.
“We’re looking forward to working with him, having him out here, having him practice and having him work,” Allen said. “That’s beneficial for all of us. Obviously, with the new system and the new offense, that’s important. I think we all understand there’s a business aspect to the game of football, but every indication that we’ve gotten is that he’ll be out here practicing.”
Allen said Kamara “ran great” in the conditioning test.
“There was zero concern about what he was going to look like coming in here,” Allen said. “Every time he comes into camp, he’s come in tremendous shape. He looked great.”
Meanwhile, the Saints are unsure when they’ll see seven-year starting right tackle and 2019 All-Pro Ryan Ramczyk again. Last week, he was ruled out for the season because of a slower-than-hoped recovery from a knee procedure, casting doubt on whether he’ll ever return to the NFL.
“Whenever you lose a player of the caliber of Ryan Ramczyk, that is a little bit of an unsettling feeling,” Allen said. “That hurts, not having a player of his caliber. I do think that we have some guys that I think are capable of stepping in and filling in that position, and some young guys I think can step up and potentially fill that spot. So I’m excited about some of the youth that we have on the offensive line.”
New Orleans enters camp with just two incumbent starters returning to the offensive line: center Erik McCoy and right guard Cesar Ruiz. Rookie Taliese Fuaga, the club’s first-round draft choice this summer, has taken first-team snaps at left tackle this offseason, while 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning — who lost the left tackle job last season — has been working at right tackle.
Loomis said losing Ramzcyk this season is “a rough one.”
“One of the things that doesn’t get talked about is how often he went out there without being 100 percent and just giving everything he’s got,” Loomis said. “If there was any way possible, he would be playing. I just appreciate how much he’s contributed to our team and hopeful that things can turn around, and with a year off, that his knee responds and he can get back out here for us.”
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