ESPN reports what Alvin Kamara is looking for in Saints contract talks

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 20: Running back Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints walks off the field following the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 20, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Saints 42-34. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Hitting on Bengals WRs, Aiyuk and Kamara on @SportsCenter from over weekend — pre-Aiyuk’s TikTok clip. The 49ers have made efforts to extend him. But the sense is things have stalled.

(with @RandyScottESPN) pic.twitter.com/vsLL0OY3EN

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) June 17, 2024

Just what was Alvin Kamara looking to achieve by exiting New Orleans Saints minicamp early last week? ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that it's the opening salvo in what may turn into a messy summer of contract talks as Kamara looks for more assurances that his future in football remains in New Orleans.

Fowler shared what he's hearing on Kamara during an appearance on ESPN SportsCenter.

"I can confirm he missed the final day of minicamp, and that was contract-related," Fowler said. "He's got two years left on his deal, he's due $11.8 million this year. The problem is next year he's due $25 million non-guaranteed, the Saints, there's no way that they are going pay that. I'm told Kamara is open to doing a reworked two-year deal, strengthen his guarantees in Year 1 (2025). They've talked about it. So far, not a lot of momentum. We'll see if something shakes out, but he could be a threat to miss training camp if they don't get something done before late July."

That's a bold threat, if Kamara is indeed committed to a training camp holdout. Under the new collective bargaining agreement -- Article 42, Section 1(b)(vi) -- veteran players under contract are subject to a mandatory fine of $50,000 per day they remain away from the team during training camp. For context, Kamara received weekly game checks of about $63,000 in salary last season.

Training camp includes 21 practice dates, so if he holds out the entire time that's potentially $1.05 million lost in fines. While Kamara can technically afford it, having earned more than $43 million in his contracts with the Saints alone (to say nothing of endorsements), effectively losing a year's salary isn't appealing. And this isn't about him wanting a higher salary, it's about ensuring he'll get to be a lifer and finish his playing career where it started.

The modern CBA also does not allow teams to rescind or waive those fines as in the past should both sides reach an agreement on a new contract. It's been an effective deterrent against holdouts. Some players like Deebo Samuel and Derwin James have attempted "hold-ins" by showing up to camp each day and working out alone on the side while refusing to participate in team drills, but this approach has drawn mixed results.

Additionally, Fowler pointed to Klint Kubiak's experience with the San Francisco 49ers last year informing his plans for Kamara, which may have helped push the running back to this crossroads: "Kamara's got to play that Christian McCaffrey role, and McCaffrey just got paid. So that changes things. Kamara's going to need more money."

Kamara has spoken about how great a fit Kubiak's offense is for him, so we're guessing he wants to settle into it right away. He spent his spring like he usually does, training on his own in Miami while communicating with his coaches (including Kubiak) and teammates almost daily. We'll just have to wait and see whether the threat of a holdout materializes into something serious, or if it's even necessary. Kamara's teammates like Jamaal Williams have publicly supported his efforts to get a new deal, but the longer this draws out, the greater a distraction it may cause. There's room for compromise to make both sides happy. Let's see if the Saints and Kamara can find it.

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This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: ESPN reports what Alvin Kamara is looking for in Saints contract talks