The New Orleans Saints seem to be heading straight toward a running back trade before the NFL’s trading deadline of Tuesday, Nov. 10.
At this point, it seems to be more about which RB is the one that actually gets traded from a crowded room of Travis Etienne, Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller and CJ Donaldson.
If you’re assuming that Etienne isn’t going anywhere, you’d be right — he signed a four-year contract in the offseason to be the RB1 and has no indications from any reports that he’ll be traded.
Etienne’s potential return from injury in Week 9 could be the key to someone else getting dealt, though. As long as the Saints feel confident that they have Etienne ready to rock, their running back room will be crowded and lend itself to a trade.
Both Miller and Kamara have been mentioned in a new report on Saturday that could point to what comes next.
Kendre Miller Trade Rumors
The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones reported Saturday morning that as long as Etienne is healthy, Miller could be moved.
“With Travis Etienne Jr. potentially being available after the bye (or soon after), the New Orleans Saints could part ways with RB Kendre Miller,” Jones writes. “The 2023 third-rounder has never gotten going in New Orleans. Veteran safety Justin Reid is also a potential trade target, with a low salary this year and no guaranteed money in 2027.”
To be fair to Miller, he has looked a little more effective this season in the absence of Etienne. But if the Saints can cash in on some value for him, it could be worth doing.
Alvin Kamara Trade Rumors
Kamara is a franchise legend who has only ever played in the NFL for New Orleans. He took a paycut in the offseason to stick around.
He still might get traded.
This is what Jones reported about Kamara:
Multiple teams have mused whether the Saints would part with beloved franchise icon Alvin Kamara, who has famously stated multiple times he wishes to end his career in New Orleans. “If Mickey (Loomis) comes down and says (they’re trading me), I’m going to go drink a piña colada somewhere,” Kamara said last year around the trade deadline. The Saints are 2-5, and Kamara’s best game so far this season saw him carry nine times for 36 yards.
A team trading for Kamara would likely be doing so to use him mostly on third downs. He’s still been decent as a pass catcher this season for the Saints. Kamara certainly isn’t the player he once was, though, which would lower his overall trade value. But if this becomes a lost season for the Saints, a trade could be in the cards.
Saints Could Trade 2 RBs Before Deadline