New Orleans Saints

A video obtained by TMZ Sports appears to show New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara punching a man several times during a February altercation at the The Cromwell hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

Sources close to Kamara told TMZ the video "doesn't tell the full story," saying Kamara was responding after the other person, Darnell Greene Jr., started the violence.

Kamara was arrested after taking part in the NFL's Pro Bowl in Las Vegas and charged with battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. The criminal case is ongoing.

Greene filed a civil lawsuit against the Saints star in October seeking $10 million in damages.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department released details related to the case in October, saying surveillance video appeared to back up Greene's story, per WGNO's Kylee Bond.

Greene said after speaking with a woman he attempted to enter an elevator with Kamara's group, but was stopped when Kamara placed a hand on his chest. Greene said he pushed the hand away, which is when the violence started.

He suffered a fracture to the right side of his face along with minor injuries to his head, knee and arms, per Bond.

In July, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler the NFL was "monitoring all legal developments" related to Kamara's case but remained without a timetable to decide whether he'd face league punishment.

The NFL can punish players under the Personal Conduct Policy based on its own investigation, but it often waits for the results of the criminal case before a ruling is made.

Kamara has remained active for the Saints to open the 2022 season. He's recorded 700 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns in six appearances across the team's first eight games.

The 27-year-old Atlanta native is under contract with the team through 2025 as part of a five-year, $75 million deal.

New Orleans' next game is Monday night when it hosts the Baltimore Ravens at the Caesars Superdome.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara stood up for teammate Michael Thomas on Friday amid mounting criticism from fans and observers regarding the wide receiver's injury woes.

According to NOLA.com's Luke Johnson, Kamara backed the embattled wideout, saying: "For people to be talking s--t, it irks my soul to see that."

Thomas was placed on injured reserve this week with a dislocated toe that requires surgery, and Saints head coach Dennis Allen expressed his belief that Thomas will miss the remainder of the season, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell.

Injuries have ravaged the 29-year-old veteran in recent seasons, as he missed nine games in 2020 with an ankle injury and the entire 2021 campaign after undergoing surgery on his ankle.

Thomas played in three games this season before being sidelined by the toe issue, recording 16 receptions for 171 yards and three touchdowns.

New Orleans selected Thomas in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft out of Ohio State, and he quickly established himself as one of the NFL's premier pass-catchers.

Over his first four seasons, Thomas missed only one game, and he finished with at least 90 receptions and 1,100 receiving yards in each of those years.

Thomas earned three Pro Bowl nods and two first-team All-Pro selections during that time, and his best season came in 2019 when he led the NFL with 149 receptions and 1,725 yards while also scoring nine touchdowns. Thomas was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts.

Kamara and Thomas have been teammates since 2017, which was the year New Orleans used a third-round pick on Kamara.

Like Thomas, Kamara has been an elite player at his position when healthy, earning five Pro Bowl selections in five seasons entering 2022.

With Kamara, Thomas and quarterback Drew Brees leading the way, the Saints are just a few years removed from having one of the league's most explosive offenses, but that has changed due to Brees' retirement following the 2020 campaign and Thomas' injuries.

Now, the Saints are something of an also-ran in the NFC with a 3-5 record, and digging out of that hole without the best wide receiver on the team will be a massive challenge.

The New Orleans Saints are placing wide receiver Michael Thomas on injured reserve to undergo surgery on his toe.

Head coach Dennis Allen is unsure as to his availability for the remainder of the season.

Saints will place WR Michael Thomas on injured reserve and he will have surgery on his toe, according to coach Dennis Allen, who said he doesn’t know the exact timetable but doesn’t anticipate that Thomas will return this year. Was a dislocated second toe.

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) November 3, 2022

Thomas has already missed five games because of the toe injury. It was a tough break for the veteran, who had caught 16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns through the first three weeks.

The second-round pick of the Saints in the 2016 draft hasn't played a full season since 2019, when he posted a career-high 1,725 receiving yards and nine touchdowns en route to a Pro Bowl selection and Offensive Player of the Year award. He also set the single-season NFL record with 149 catches that year.

The 29-year-old was limited to seven games in 2020 because of ankle and hamstring injuries. He caught 40 passes for 438 yards. The ankle injury also resulted in his missing all of the 2021 campaign. He returned healthy for 2022, but the three-time Pro Bowler couldn't escape the injury bug.

The Saints are 3-5, though they're only one game behind the first-place Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South.

Losing Thomas obviously won't help New Orleans get back on track for the postseason, and his long-term outlook with the team isn't looking good given how much time he has missed over the last few years.

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.

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.

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.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 4, 2022

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.

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:

https://twitter.com/A_kamara6/status/1585737123453292544

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.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is the best offensive player on the team, so he took it upon himself to say something to his teammates after their disappointing 42-34 loss to the Arizona Cardinals this past Thursday.

Kamara explained to reporters on Wednesday that the Saints need to adjust their mentality and "get their swag back," and that's why he gave a postgame speech to the team.

New Orleans fell to 2-5 as a result of Thursday's loss. The team has struggled with defense and turnovers, and it's also one of the most penalized groups in the NFL.

Kamara feels that the difference between this year's unit and other Saints teams from the past is the way they respond to adversity.

"Even when we were down, it was never like, we were looking at the score. It was like, 'Well, alright, s--t, let's go play football.' It wasn't a score thing, it wasn't like what the other team was doing thing. It's like, let's go out and execute, and ... we're gonna like the result," Kamara said. "I feel like, just honestly, we haven't really been playing like that. It's been like, we kind of, it's just of a little bit of a panic, a little bit of a, 'oh s--t, we're down.' Like, man, we don't play like that. I still don't have that kind of mentality."

The sixth-year running back appears to be taking on more of a leadership role, and he said he felt it was necessary to speak up after a disappointing loss.

"You come out of a game you feel like you should have won, you kind of have some mistakes that cost us the game and you don't feel good," Kamara said. "It's easy to kind of go in there, and it's like, that quiet. That quiet in the locker room, waiting for somebody to say something. I feel like you have a lot of those moments, but I just felt compelled to say something, so I got what I had to get off and I left it at that."

When asked directly why he felt motivated to speak to the team, Kamara gave a lengthy answer and said, in part, "It does so much to lead by example, but sometimes people gotta say s--t. So I felt like I had to say something. ... What I said, it wasn't me talking at people. It was like, 'Shoot, hold me accountable, too.' If you don't see me with that swag and that energy and that pride I'm talking about, then tell me and call me out. Because I'm going to do the same thing to everybody on the field. Because I know what it takes to be what we want to be."

The Saints will look to bounce back from their early-season disappointments when they face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston is fully recovered from the back and ankle injuries that forced him to miss the last four games, but he's not getting his starting job back.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen announced Wednesday that veteran Andy Dalton will remain the starter for the team's Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders over Winston, who started New Orleans' first three games. Allen called the move "an offensive decision."

New Orleans (2-5) has gone 1-3 with Dalton as the starter this season. He's thrown for 946 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions in his four games, and Allen said there's "no need to upset the apple cart" by changing quarterbacks. He also noted that Dalton will remain the starter as long as he is playing well.

Despite the team's losing record, the Saints offense has performed well this year. New Orleans ranks third in the NFL in total offense with an average of 398.3 yards and seventh in scoring offense at 25.0 points per game. The team's offense took off when Winston was sidelined, as New Orleans averaged 17.0 points in his three starts and went 1-2.

However, the Saints have struggled on the other side of the ball all season and rank second-to-last in scoring defense with opposing teams averaging 28.6 points against them.

New Orleans has dealt with injuries to its defensive backfield, as starting cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo were sidelined for last Sunday's 42-34 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The Saints lost veteran cornerback Bradley Roby to an ankle injury in that game, and he was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday.

Things won't get easier this week, as the Saints will face a Raiders offense that ranks third in the league with 27.2 points per game.

Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is far removed from his days as a three-time Pro Bowl selection, but the New Orleans Saints were hoping he'd be a stabilizing presence should he be thrust into the starting role.

Unfortunately, Dalton was anything but that in the Saints' 42-34 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. The 34-year-old had a lackluster showing with three interceptions, including back-to-back pick-sixes in the first half. Dalton added 361 yards and four touchdowns on 30-of-47 passing.

Dalton's turnovers were momentum-killers for New Orleans. His first interception was thrown into the end zone after driving down to the Arizona 10-yard line. The first pick-six admittedly wasn't his fault, as it went off the hands of receiver Marquez Callaway, but it occurred when the game was tied 14-14. The next pick-six on the ensuing possession was an athletic play by Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

While Dalton wasn't expected to come in and be a world-beater at this stage in his career, it was still disappointing to see an experienced signal-caller be a detriment to his team.

NFL Twitter didn't hold back in its criticism of Dalton while it watched him implode Thursday night:

Andy Dalton full on meltdown.

— Jared Stillman (@JaredStillman) October 21, 2022

Andy Dalton was like, you wanted touchdowns on TNF? Well, here you go.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 21, 2022

You get a pick six and you get a pick six!

— Tyler Dragon (@TheTylerDragon) October 21, 2022

Get well soon Jameis Winston. You ain’t got nothing to worry about.

— Master (@MasterTes) October 21, 2022

A promising Saints drive ends with an end zone INT by Antonio Hamilton. Andy Dalton tried to stick that one in there to Callaway in the back of the end zone and paid the price. Cardinals ball.

— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) October 21, 2022

Bad decision by Saints QB Andy Dalton there. INT in the end zone. Didn't have a good opening and gave away the 3 points.

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) October 21, 2022

Matt Schaub: “Boy did I throw some picks 6s in my career!”

Andy Dalton: “Hold my beer” pic.twitter.com/urTMHFOdKU

— Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) October 21, 2022

NFL: With the game being on Amazon it’s not really a “prime time” game, is it?

Andy Dalton: Hold my beer.

— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) October 21, 2022

Big respect to Andy Dalton. He saw the last couple Thursday night games and he is giving us the points we all want and deserve now.

— Tom Crabtree (@itsCrab) October 21, 2022

That’s a hat trick for Andy Dalton, three interceptions now. And interceptions that couldn’t be more costly. One int. in the end zone and 2 pick-sixes.

— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) October 21, 2022

Andy Dalton throws his second pick-6 in as many possessions, although the first obviously Marquez Calloway’s fault. The second was athletic play by Isaiah Simmons. That was the 5th Andy 6th pick-six thrown by a #Saints QB since the start of last season, matching Rams for most.

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) October 21, 2022

Andy Dalton is the only player since at least 2000 with multiple pick-6s in the 2-minute drill in the same game. pic.twitter.com/jASuIAXKu5

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) October 21, 2022

The last QB to throw two Pick 6s in the last two minutes of a first half like Andy Dalton just did?

Dan Marino in 1997 vs. Pete Carroll’s New England Patriots.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) October 21, 2022

Andy Dalton is the 1st QB to throw a pick-6 on consecutive drives since Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 2 of 2019 against the Patriots. New England beat the Dolphins that day 43-0.

— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) October 21, 2022

Tough first half for the Red Rifle. Andy Dalton has thrown three interceptions.

The Arizona Cardinals' defense only collected two turnovers on the season heading into tonight's matchup 😬 pic.twitter.com/BX3FfROCmQ

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 21, 2022

Sideline reporter asks Dennis Allen what he said to Andy Dalton at halftime, his reply was "Nothing, just keep doing what he's doing."

— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) October 21, 2022

Live look at Andy Dalton in primetime: pic.twitter.com/sNJxkpfm5d

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 21, 2022

Most primetime interceptions since 2011.
Andy adds 3 more to his total in the first half tonight. pic.twitter.com/nXDWkZg7sq

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) October 21, 2022

Saints starting quarterback Jameis Winston is still working his way back from back and ankle injuries, but it's unclear when exactly he'll return. After Dalton's performance against Arizona, New Orleans is surely hoping Winston will be back under center sooner rather than later.

The Saints will look to bounce back next Sunday when they host the Las Vegas Raiders.