As expected, the NFL has handed down discipline to New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara after his recent legal proceedings concluded. Kamara was allegedly involved in a beating outside a Las Vegas nightclub in Feb. 2022 which led to criminal charges in Nevada and a civil suit in New Orleans — both of which he wrapped up by agreeing to a plea deal and undisclosed settlement. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report news of Kamara’s suspension.
In following its usual precedent to wait for a legal conclusion before issuing its own discipline, the league office in New York has suspended Kamara for the first three games of the Saints’ season. Kamara has the right to appeal this discipline, which could reduce the length of his suspension though it’s unlikely to be overturned altogether.
It’s all but certain the Saints will be without one of their most important players for their season-opening home game with the Tennessee Titans and subsequent road trips to face the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers. If Kamara’s suspension is upheld, he will return until in time for Week 4’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Caesars Superdome. He’ll continue to practice with New Orleans throughout training camp and the preseason, but he won’t be allowed back at the facility until Monday, Sept. 25 after that Packers contest.
It’s a good thing the Saints made the running back position a priority this offseason. Signing the reigning rushing touchdowns leader (Jamaal Williams) and drafting a hungry young runner eager to prove himself (Kendre Miller) should pay off in a big way. But they may not be finished yet. If the Saints aren’t content with the depth chart behind those players — made up of incumbent backup Eno Benjamin, undrafted rookie Ellis Merriweather, and wide receiver-convert Kirk Merritt — they could look to the free agent market for reinforcements. But they’ll likely want to evaluate the players already on the roster in training camp before looking outside the building for more help.
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