Alvin Kamara will officially return to the New Orleans Saints for the 2026 season after agreeing to a restructured contract, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reports. While that's not exactly league-altering news given the Saints' 6-11 record last season, it could have ripple effects on the Arizona Cardinals in particular.
Kamara was previously named a trade candidate by ESPN's Dan Graziano, meaning those in the market for a running back are now forced to look elsewhere. The only other running back remaining on Graziano's list in that piece is Arizona's James Conner, who could potentially receive increased trade interest around the league if teams are left to search for a backup plan for Kamara.
Cardinals have a window to trade James Conner
If he does have a market, the Cardinals should absolutely be open to moving on from the 31-year-old. History doesn't bode well for running backs on the wrong side of their 30s in general, and that concern is compounded by the fact that Conner is coming off a season-ending right ankle injury. While he's been productive during his stint with the Cardinals, that's the reality of the short running back shelf lives in the NFL.
Arizona suddenly has a logjam at the position after investing the No. 3 overall pick in Jeremiyah Love in addition to signing Tyler Allgeier this offseason. In other words, Conner and even Trey Benson are suddenly far more expendable, as keeping a total of six running backs on the roster is diminishing returns at that point.
Graziano named the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals as fits for Kamara, while Cincinnati and the New York Giants are potential suitors for Conner. He may not be the player he once was, but Conner could still be serviceable in a running back-by-committee approach for a team with win-now aspirations.
Besides the teams Graziano mentions, others hurting for running back depth include the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, and Jacksonville Jaguars. While he wouldn't receive a major haul in return, the Cardinals would be wise to get any future assets they can with just one year remaining on his contract.
Even if Arizona holds onto Conner to start the season, this seems like the kind of trade that could be made before the deadline after injuries unfortunately begin to pile up around the league.
The fact that he took a pay cut to stay in Arizona does complicate a potential trade, but perhaps Conner will be open to the idea of taking on an increased role elsewhere.
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