The New Orleans Saints, yet again, are stuck in a dire cap situation that will require general manager Mickey Loomis to make difficult decisions -- they are projected to be $40 million in the hole, ranking 31st in the league, according to Spotrac.
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine highlighted franchise legend Alvin Kamara as their most likely cap casualty. If he does end up being released, the Atlanta Falcons could be a strong match, even with Bijan Robinson's presence.
He is from Atlanta and could be looking to get back at his old team. Plus, the Falcons need a replacement for Tyler Allgeier.
The Atlanta Falcons could replace Tyler Allgeier with Alvin Kamara
It would be hard to imagine a few years ago that Kamara would become expendable to the Saints -- but that is the world of running backs.
He is entering the final year of his two-year extension that he signed 15 months ago. He is due to count $18.6M against the cap. Releasing him post-June 1 would save them $8.1M this year and $8.5 next year, with a $10.1M dead cap hit.
Not exactly the amount of immediate savings you would expect for a player on his contract, but when you weigh his impact last season with those savings and the Saints' cap situation, it becomes a no-brainer to release him.
The Falcons would then become a top landing spot because they have an opening at No. 2 running back. Kamara, at this point in his career, is not a Pro Bowl player. He had two 100-yard games last season and missed six games, and hasn't made the Pro Bowl in five years.
Even throwing out age, he hasn't played a full season since his rookie year in 2017 and has never had a 1,000-yard rushing season. Point being, he should be a complementary back, at best. In Atlanta, he would certainly be a No. 2, but that is the best role for him.
Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees can use him in situations where Robinson needs a break. He is still capable of gaining chunks of yards, while adding veteran leadership in his hometown.
The question is, what will his contract demands look like? It is hard to imagine teams will value him more than Allgeier. Obviously, if they do, the Falcons would just stick who they know.
But if he accepts a short-term deal similar to Todd Gurley's a few years ago (1yr, $5.5M), the marriage makes sense. Keep in mind, Bijan is on his rookie contract, which opens the possibility of paying a decent, veteran backup.
And just imagine what Saints fans would do if this signing were to happen...