The veteran is having a down year, but is it worth risking further injury in a lost season?
With the loss to Miami on Sunday, New Orleans was officially eliminated from NFC playoff contention. Although there wasn't a real chance for the Saints, Sunday made it official either way. With five games left in the season, the Saints are in full-blown evaluation mode. Understanding which players are part of the long-term solution or not is the most important thing with five games remaining.
What about Alvin Kamara? The veteran running back is headed toward career-low numbers across the board. With only 471 rushing yards on 131 carries for 3.6 YPC and 33 receptions for 186 yards and a rushing touchdown, Kamara and the offense have struggled all year. The normally productive and reliable running back is now dealing with an injury that knocked him out of the Miami game and has him on the fence for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay.
Is it worth it for the veteran running back returning for the final five games? I believe Kamara will play when cleared, for the record. However, would it be wise for the Saints to be cautious with their long-time running back? Also, evaluating Devin Neal can help you decide on next year's running back room and how to address it, whether it's in the draft or free agency.
At this point in Kamara's career, he is who he is. I still believe he can be a very productive running back, but may be better suited at this point in his career as a pass catcher/third down/change of pace back. You'll only be able to know if Neal can step into the early down role if he gets multiple games as the guy. Keeping Kamara fresh will raise his efficiency, as you can get the most of his talent at the end of his NFL career.
I'm sure Kamara has pride, and football players want to play football. I respect that. I'm sure Kamara won't hold himself out. However, a longer look at Neal, whether it's a change in role or playing the slow game with Kamara's injury, might be the way to go. The only thing I'm not sure of is how Kamara would respond to a lesser role. He was very vocal about saying that if he were traded from New Orleans, he would retire.
It's apparent Kamara wants to end his career in New Orleans. I'm not advocating for his removal from the Saints. It just might be time to evaluate the other players with five games left to play.