The Saints‘ historic trip to Paris risks losing its main attraction.
Staring down a shaky 2-4 record and relying heavily on quarterback Tyler Shough, New Orleans watched running back Alvin Kamara get tagged as limited on Thursday, throwing a wrench into offensive plans right before a high-profile international debut.
Saints RB Alvin Kamara did Limited Practice Thursday
Kamara had limited practice on both Wednesday and Thursday, putting his status in serious jeopardy right when the Saints need him the most.
Alvin Kamara opened the 2026 campaign late after sitting out the entire preseason and Week 1 while recovering from a sprained MCL. Right as he found his groove, a lingering back injury surfaced ahead of Week 5, severely capping his usage.
While he managed to suit up over the last two games, his snap counts plummeted, netting just five total touches against the Vikings before battling through a scary mid-game back landing against the Giants.
Even on limited snaps, Kamara flashed his elite upside by breaking off a 31-yard touchdown catch in Week 6. He suited up last week despite the back issue, which offers only a small silver lining. Until he puts together a full practice session, the Saints simply cannot bank on him handling a featured workload, even if he manages to give it a go in Paris.
And that is as concerning as it gets for the Saints heading into an international game they simply cannot afford to lose against the Steelers.
The 4-2 Steelers already enter as heavy favorites, which skyrockets the stakes for New Orleans. Sitting with four losses already, their postseason chances are hanging by a thread. Another loss, and those playoff hopes drop straight down to zero.
Saints Have Manageable Depth Behind Kamara
Behind Kamara, the Saints have Kendre Miller, who has absorbed the bulk of the rotational work over the last three weeks. He logged 9 carries for 38 yards against the Giants in Week 6 and has been averaging around 3.5 to 4.0 yards per carry on limited touches. Without Kamara, Miller is the Saints’ best bet for early-down work.
RB3 CJ Donaldson was also on the injury list alongside Kamara due to his shoulder issue, but unlike him, Donaldson logged a full practice on Thursday, giving the Saints another pair of hands to fall back on.
In Week 6 against New York, he saw a season-high 6 carries for 39 yards (6.5 YPC), including a 17-yard burst, but turned the ball over on a lost fumble.
Head coach Kellen Moore will leave the door open for Kamara’s return, but the New Orleans preparation sequence is already shaping up around life without their featured back.
Saints Hit With Concerning Alvin Kamara Injury Update Before Historic Paris Game