NFL Rumors: Bills Targeted Alvin Kamara in Trade Talks, Were Rejected by Saints
Oct 30, 2022
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 30: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints warms up before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Caesars Superdome on October 30, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills are in the market for a running back ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, and they appear to have targeted one of the best players potentially available at the position.
Buffalo inquired with the New Orleans Saints about Alvin Kamara, though they were rejected, per Fox's Jay Glazer (h/t PFF's Ari Meirov).
The Saints want a haul similar to what the Carolina Panthers received in exchange for Christian McCaffrey to deal Kamara, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.
Carolina received a second-, third- and a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft and a fifth-round selection in the 2024 draft from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for McCaffrey.
Kamara will not become an unrestricted free agent until 2026. His base salary for the 2022 campaign is $1 million, which makes him a desirable target for teams searching for help in the backfield.
However, Kamara's base salary in 2023 is $9.4 million and it jumps to a whopping $22.4 million—with a $27 million cap hit—in 2025. Any team that acquires him must be willing to pay him beyond the 2022 campaign.
The 27-year-old has spent his entire six-year career in New Orleans, earning five Pro Bowl selections and the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Through seven games this season, he has rushed for 351 yards on 77 carries and has caught 24 passes for 191 yards.
While Kamara hasn't been nearly as good this year, the Bills need all the help they can get in the backfield.
Quarterback Josh Allen currently leads the team in rushing yards with 257 yards on 47 carries, while veteran running back Devin Singletary has 256 rushing yards on 57 carries. James Cook and Zack Moss have rushed for just 97 ad 91 yards, respectively.
The Bills aren't the only team to have expressed interest in Kamara, though. The Philadelphia Eagles have been the team most heavily linked to the veteran running back leading up to the deadline.
If Buffalo strikes out on Kamara, they could look into acquiring Kareem Hunt from the Cleveland Browns, Cam Akers from the Los Angeles Rams or Antonio Gibson from the Washington Commanders.
Alvin Kamara Trade Rumors: Saints Want 'at Least' What Christian McCaffrey Received
Oct 30, 2022
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 20: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints looks on during an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints at State Farm Stadium on October 20, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
The New Orleans Saints have not ruled out trading Alvin Kamara, but they reportedly want a haul for the five-time Pro Bowler.
Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the Saints want a haul that's "at least" equivalent to what the Carolina Panthers received for Christian McCaffrey. The San Francisco 49ers traded a second-, third- and fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft and a fifth-round selection in 2024 in exchange for McCaffrey last week.
Much like McCaffrey, Kamara's base salary ($1 million) for the 2022 season makes him extremely tradeable. A team acquiring Kamara would only have to pay the remainder of his base salary for this season and then essentially have him on a series of one-year contracts through the 2025 campaign.
Kamara's base salary is $9.4 million in 2023 and $10.2 million in 2024 before ballooning to $22.4 million in 2025. It's almost certain no team, the Saints or otherwise, have any designs on paying any running back more than $22 million in a season.
Coming off a dreadful 2021 season, Kamara has looked spry in 2022 despite dealing with a rib injury. He's rushed for 351 yards while adding 191 receiving yards in five games played, improving his yards per carry from 3.7 last year to 4.6, which is back in line with his career average.
With the 49ers and New York Jets (James Robinson) having already traded for running backs, it's not clear whether there will be a robust market before the deadline. The Los Angeles Rams have made Cam Akers available in trade talks for weeks without getting much traction, and the McCaffrey trade is an outlier of recent deals for running backs.
It seems unlikely a team will give up a McCaffrey-esque haul barring an injury in this week's games.
NFL GM: Saints Would Consider Alvin Kamara-Eagles Trade to Get 2023 1st-Rounder Back
Oct 29, 2022
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 20: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints carries the ball during the 1st quarter of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 20, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
One NFL general manager believes the New Orleans Saints would be willing to trade running back Alvin Kamara to the Philadelphia Eagles if the team deals back the first-round pick acquired last year.
Albert Breer of the Sports Illustrated reported the news.
"There have been conflicting reports on Alvin Kamara, but one GM told me he thought the Saints would consider moving him to the Eagles if Philadelphia gives them back the first-rounder they traded in April."
"The Saints are in an interesting spot, with a very talented roster and a record that doesn’t reflect it. And so Mickey Loomis has received calls. Whether he’d be willing to really listen on Kamara or Michael Thomas remains to be seen. But there are some second-tier types such as Nick Vannett and Marquez Callaway who could be moved."
The Eagles acquired the first-rounder in an eight-pick deal that also netted them a 2024 second-rounder.
Trade: The #Eagles trade picks No. 16, 19, and 194 to the #Saints in exchange for picks No. 18, 101, 237, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.
The 2-5 Saints currently hold the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL draft. The 6-0 Eagles are the lone remaining undefeated team and are No. 1 in rushing touchdowns (13) and rushing yards per game (156.0).
It's incredibly unlikely the Eagles would ever deal that pick even for a talented back like Kamara, who has 552 total yards on the season. They're already undefeated without him and have a strong rushing attack led by Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders.
Also, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk previously reported that the Eagles are not interested in trading for Kamara.
Philadelphia has already been active in the trade market by adding Chicago Bears defensive end Robert Quinn. The Eagles have time to make more moves with the trade deadline Tuesday, but for now, they'll focus on moving to 7-0 with a home matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Tom Brady, Giselle Bündchen's Rented Tampa Estate For Sale After Couple's Divorce
Oct 29, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 07: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates with Gisele Bundchen after winning Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen announced their divorce on Friday, the Tampa home they previously rented together is now on the market.
According to Front Office Sports on Saturday, the home is available for $12.5 million:
For the last two years, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen have rented this estate in Tampa.
Now, the home is on the market for $12.5 million.
▪️ 6500 sq. ft, 6 BR, 6 BA ▪️ Elevator ▪️ Wine cellar ▪️ Custom pool, spa ▪️ Private dock ▪️ Boat lift pic.twitter.com/0uNWhep8pP
Both Brady and Bündchen took to social media to confirm the end of their marriage. Brady stated "We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together." Bündchen wrote "The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart."
Brady and Bündchen began dating in 2006 and were married for 13 years. They share two children—a son born in 2009 and a daughter born in 2012.
Buccaneers Rumors: Shaq Barrett Out 7-9 Months; MRI on Achilles Injury Reveals Tear
Oct 28, 2022
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 11: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Linebacker Shaquil Barrett (58) rushes the passer during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Dallas Cowboys regular season game on September 11, 2022 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett will reportedly miss the remainder of the 2022 season after suffering a torn Achilles in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, an MRI confirmed the injury Friday, and he will be on the shelf for the next seven to nine months.
A two-time Pro Bowler in his fourth year with the Bucs, Barrett is tied for second on the team this season with three sacks behind defensive tackle Vita Vea's 4.5.
Barrett spent his first four NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos, primarily in a backup role. He won a Super Bowl in Denver and showed the potential for greater production if given more playing time.
The Bucs gambled on him in free agency, and it paid huge dividends as he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks in his first season with the team in 2019. That earned him his first Pro Bowl nod as well as All-Pro Second Team honors and a fourth-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
After his production dropped to eight sacks in 2020, he rebounded with 10 sacks last season and returned to the Pro Bowl.
Losing Barrett would be a huge blow under any circumstances, but it is especially tough for the Bucs, who have a massively disappointing 3-5 record.
The Buccaneers have been out of sync in all aspects. While they still have a strong chance to win the weak NFC South, going on a deep playoff run without their best pass-rusher will be a major challenge.
When it comes to replacing Barrett's pass-rushing production on the outside, much of the burden will fall on fellow starter Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.
Tryon-Shoyinka, the final pick of the first round of the 2021 NFL draft at No. 32 overall, had four sacks as a rookie and has recorded 2.5 through eight games this season.
Carl Nassib and Anthony Nelson, who each have two sacks, will battle for the right to replace Barrett in the starting lineup.
The Bucs could also make a trade to address the loss of Barrett, although they will have to act quickly since the NFL trade deadline is Tuesday.
Bucs' Tom Brady, Wife Gisele Bündchen Announce Divorce After 13 Years of Marriage
Oct 28, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on during pregame warm-ups prior to a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Raymond James Stadium on October 27, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen are officially divorced.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star announced on social media the couple finalized the divorce in recent days.
TMZ Sports reported Bündchen filed divorce papers in the state of Florida.
According to the report, lawyers for both sides have spent most of the month of October figuring out details of a settlement and an agreement on property and custody of their children.
Brady and Bündchen began dating in 2006 when he was playing with the New England Patriots. The couple married in 2009. They have two children together—a son born in 2009 and a daughter born in 2012.
Bündchen was often seen at Brady's games, most notably during his appearances in the Super Bowl. She was on the field with him, along with their kids, to celebrate the Bucs' 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55.
Brady announced Feb. 1 he was retiring from the NFL. The future Hall of Famer reversed course only 40 days later, writing on Instagram he realized his place is "still on the field and not in the stands."
The Philadelphia Eagles reportedly
aren't pursuing a trade for New Orleans Saints running back Alvin
Kamara ahead of Tuesday's 2022 NFL trade deadline.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk
reported Friday it's "unclear" why the Kamara-to-Philly rumors
emerged and, while it's possible the five-time Pro Bowler is moved
before the deadline, it "won't be the Eagles" who make the
blockbuster deal.
Although the Eagles' 6-0 record
solidifies them as a contender and their recent trade for defensive
end Robert Quinn shows the front office is looking to upgrade the
roster, the rushing attack has been quite productive in 2022.
Philadelphia ranks sixth in the NFL in
rushing yards per game (156) and their 13 rushing touchdowns are the
most in the league.
Miles Sanders (4.6 yards per carry) and
Kenneth Gainwell (4.2) have formed a solid one-two backfield punch,
and quarterback Jalen Hurts is also a key factor in the ground game.
Kamara is a game-changing player when
healthy, but injuries have started to become a factor in recent
years. He missed four games in 2021 with a knee injury and he's
already sat out two contests this season while recovering from a rib
injury.
In turn, there would be added risk to
giving up the assets likely required to acquire a player of his
caliber, and it's not a guarantee he'd significantly improve an
already productive backfield.
Kamara, who's recorded 542 total yards
and no touchdowns in five appearances this season, appeared to take
interest in the rumors in a Thursday post on Twitter:
No other teams have been heavily linked
to the 27-year-old rusher, but any acquiring club would take on the
remaining three-plus seasons on his five-year, $75 million contract.
So, all things considered, it wouldn't
be a surprise if Kamara is still in New Orleans when the deadline
dust settles next week.
Buccaneers' Todd Bowles on Coaching Changes: 'Everything is on the Table for Us'
Oct 28, 2022
TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 27: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles looks out towards the field during the regular season game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 27, 2022 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After falling to 3-5 following Thursday's 27-22 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Todd Bowles isn't dismissing the possibility of making changes to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' coaching staff.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the Bucs' head coach was asked about the possibility of shaking up his staff.
"We're going to talk about everything this weekend," Bowles said. "When you're not playing well, everything is on the table for us, and we'll discuss that as a staff."
Following Tampa's 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Bowles dismissed the possibility of making changes to his staff.
"I will not consider changing coaching, but I will consider what we're doing," he told reporters. "We definitely need to change some of the things we're doing. We've been discussing that. It can't happen overnight, but we've got to do a lot better than what we've been doing as a whole."
These past two games have shown some cracks in the Bucs' defensive foundation. P.J. Walker went 16-of-22 for 177 yards and two touchdowns for the Panthers. It came one week after he was held to 60 yards passing and had a negative average depth of target against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Ravens racked up 231 rushing yards on 33 carries. All five players who had at least one rushing attempt averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
While the defense is starting to struggle, Tampa's offense remains a problem. Tom Brady did finish with 325 passing yards, his most since Week 5, but the Bucs were only able to convert two of their five red-zone possessions into touchdowns.
The Buccaneers' running game was non-existent on Thursday. They only had 44 yards on 15 attempts. Since finishing with 152 yards in a Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, they are averaging 49 yards rushing yards per game over the past seven weeks.
Bowles is in his first season as Tampa's head coach. He was promoted to the role after Bruce Arians stepped down on March 30. Bowles had been defensive coordinator for the previous three seasons. Offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is in his fourth season with the team.
Latest Buccaneers Loss Shows That Even If Tom Brady Rebounds, It May Not Be Enough
Oct 28, 2022
Tom Brady
Thursday night's loss to the Baltimore Ravens dropped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to 3-5, obviously not where the Bucs had planned to be eight games in. There is a chance for Tampa to turn things around. The NFC South is wide open and of course, Tom Brady is still the quarterback.
There's always a sense that the future first-ballot Hall of Famer will eventually flip a switch and right the proverbial ship. The reality, though, is that Brady may not be able to save these sinking Buccaneers this time.
Brady has been part of the problem this season, and he was far from perfect on Thursday. He came into the game with a passer rating of just 92.8, his lowest as a Buccaneer and his second-lowest (88.0 in 2019) since 2014.
He finished 26-of-44 for 325 yards and a late touchdown, but he was off on several throws and struggled with the pressure (sacked three times) Baltimore brought early and often.
However, Brady's issues largely seem to stem from his lack of chemistry with a revolving cast of pass-catchers. Chris Godwin missed two games with a hamstring injury, Mike Evans missed a game because of a suspension. Julio Jones has missed time with a knee injury.
Rob Gronkowski retired in the offseason, while fellow tight end Cameron Brate is out with a neck injury.
When Brady is on the same page with his intended target, he's still very capable of hitting throws like this one:
Tom Brady DROPPED IT IN THE BUCKET for Mike Evans 😱
But even if Brady starts clicking with his receivers—and that remains a big if—it won't fix all of Tampa's issues, and there are many.
The offense as a whole has been lacking a rhythm. A unit that ranked second in both yards and points a season ago came into Thursday ranked 22nd and 27th in those categories, respectively.
The offensive line, featuring new starters in Luke Goedeke, Robert Hainsey and Shaq Mason—has been wildly inconsistent all year. Brady was only under pressure on 14.1 percent of his passes coming into this game—according to Pro Football Reference—but that's largely a credit to the 45-year-old's quick release. Tampa has rarely had chances for big plays to develop down the field.
The line has struggled to open holes in the ground game too, while running back Leonard Fournette is running like he has lost a step. On Thursday, he averaged a mere 2.7 yards per carry against a Ravens defense that was surrendering 4.5 yards per carry coming in.
On the season, Fournette has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry. The Buccaneers have averaged 3.0. Tampa may want to seriously consider its trade options at running back before Tuesday's deadline.
As a whole, the offense just seems to lack chemistry, cohesion and communication. While Byron Leftwich remains the offensive coordinator under head coach Todd Bowles, it's fair to wonder just how big of a role Bruce Arians had on the offense over the last two years.
It wasn't this way before Arians stepped down as head coach in the offseason.
This Buccaneers team has looked poorly coached all year. Mistakes that just shouldn't be made, they keep making. Bruce Arians may not have gotten enough credit.
Even if Brady does return to his usual Pro Bowl form, the miscues and the inability to run the ball won't disappear—and those miscues aren't a problem for the offense alone.
And Brady can do nothing to impact a defense that is as banged up as any in the NFL.
The Bucs were without nearly their entire starting secondary on Thursday, as Carlton Davis (hip), Sean Murphy-Bunting (quad) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (concussion) were all inactive. Logan Ryan is on injured reserve with a foot injury.
On top of all of that, Tampa may now be without star pass-rusher Shaq Barrett for the remainder of the season:
#Bucs star pass-rusher Shaq Barrett is feared to have suffered a torn Achilles based on the initial exam, source said. Coach Todd Bowles said it doesn’t look good and he’ll have an MRI tomorrow.
However, the Ravens found success in the second half by running the football. Poor positioning, bad angles and missed tackles plagued the Tampa defense in the second half. Baltimore had just 27 yards before the break and finished with 231 on the ground.
This marks the fourth time this season that Tampa has surrendered at least 150 rushing yards.
And, let's be honest, this game might have gotten even uglier if the Ravens hadn't lost pass-catchers Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman early.
Ravens went into tonight’s game with Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman and Gus Edwards all listed as questionable. By the fourth quarter, each had exited the game due to injury and, unless Edwards unexpectedly returns, none will have been healthy enough to finish.
If the defense cannot get healthy in a hurry, this season could quickly spiral away from the Buccaneers.
Brady recently stated that he has no plans to retire in the immediate future.
There's no immediate retirement in my future," Brady said on Let's Go! With Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray (h/t Carly Ledbetter of Yahoo Sports). "There was a retirement in the past, but I moved on from that,” Brady said. “I made a commitment to this team, and I love this team, and I love this organization. I told them in March I was playing, and I’ve never quit on anything in my life."
However, Brady may not be eager to return to this team in the offseason. He can't remedy all of the issues on his own, and he's certainly not getting any younger.
Now, the silver lining in all of this is that Tampa has nine games left in which to improve. Only one of the Buccaneers' remaining opponents—the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15—is currently above .500. Tampa is only a half-game behind the division-leading Atlanta Falcons (3-4) and can rally to steal the division.
Are the Buccaneers legitimate playoff contenders, though? Not right now, and if they are by season's end, it won't be simply because Brady finally found his footing.
The defense is running short on depth, the ground game cannot get rolling, and the Bucs are now averaging 5.5 penalties per game after having four against the Ravens. These are all issues that will have to be corrected if the Buccaneers hope to go on a run.
But if Brady continues struggling to find time in the pocket and connect with his receivers the ship is assuredly sunk. Brady can't carry this team and, right now, the Buccaneers are completely incapable of carrying him.
Tom Brady's Continued Slide Dragged by Twitter as Bucs Fall to Ravens, Drop to 3-5
Oct 28, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: Justin Houston #50 of the Baltimore Ravens sacks Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 27, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Everything seemed to be back on track for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense in the first quarter of Thursday's contest against the Baltimore Ravens.
And then the rest of the game happened.
Tampa Bay scored 10 points on its opening two drives in that first quarter but didn't find the end zone again until the final minute against a prevent-style defense in a 27-22 defeat. It fell to 3-5 overall and 1-5 in its last six games as the offense continues to be a problem with 45-year-old Tom Brady under center.
While there is no arguing that Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time and on his way to the Hall of Fame as a seven-time Super Bowl champion, the offense has scored more than 22 points just once all season.
Social media wasn't going to miss a chance to weigh in on another loss for Brady and Co.:
There were some positives for the offense. Leonard Fournette scored his second rushing touchdown of the season on the opening drive, and Brady found Mike Evans on multiple perfectly placed deep balls.
Yet Brady underthrew his top option on another deep ball, sailed a potential touchdown pass to him, took three sacks as he struggled to escape pressure, had multiple passes batted down at the line of scrimmage, missed Kyle Rudolph for a touchdown and narrowly escaped picks in the end zone when Marcus Peters and Chuck Clark dropped interceptions.
Tampa Bay's offense was downright ugly at times, and the only saving grace for the team at this point is every other squad in the NFC South is under .500.
It will look to get back on track with another home game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9.
