Patriots: Why Alvin Kamara trade with Saints should be exception for Bill Belichick

The Saints are reportedly open to an Alvin Kamara trade … anybody home, Patriots?

When you look at the New England Patriots backfield, it’s absolutely stacked. Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead and Damien Harris are all there, with Harris looking to break out in 2020 and carve out a bigger role for himself. White and Burkhead will be free agents after this year, so it’ll be up to Michel and Harris to get used to carrying the load.

Unless……..

….Head coach Bill Belichick swoops in, gives the New Orleans Saints a call, and brings star running back Alvin Kamara to New England. Can an Alvin Kamara trade happen?! Belichick has already made a big deal with the Saints before, acquiring Brandin Cooks in exchange for a late-first-round pick in 2017.

Kamara is hitting free agency after this year and wants big money, and the Pats have a ton of cap space ready to use right now and in the offseason. They’ve positioned themselves to be atop the league in that category come 2021.

Alvin Kamara Trade Rumors

So, the parameters of an Alvin Kamara trade. Let’s do this.

Why not deal a second-rounder to New Orleans and sign Kamara to an extension to give yourself James White 2.0 when the veteran inevitably leaves for more money? Maybe White is even involved in the haul that goes back to New Orleans along with a lesser draft pick? Who knows.

All we do know is that Kamara would be a dream in this offense and serve as a dual-threat back — one Belichick has never had in his complex system. And with Cam Newton? The former division rivals teaming up and making Patriots fans forget about Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski leaving for Tampa Bay would be a dream come true.

These wide gap in contract talks will present a gigantic problem, however. The only difference here is that the Saints have an extremely tight cap situation whereas the Pats do not. Still, Belichick is not paying $16 million for a running back, even if Kamara doubles as a wide receiver (he has 243 receptions in his first three NFL seasons).

Though he’s no doubt a beneficiary of Sean Payton’s offense, you also cannot discount his historic production since stepping foot in the league.

If we’re also being honest with ourselves here, Belichick probably isn’t going to be around for a second Patriots rebuild, and nobody knows what will happen after this season. Will Newton return if he out-performs his contract? Will the team re-sign the glut of impending free agents (White, Burkhead, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Mohamed Sanu, Jason McCourty, Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, and RFA JC Jackson)? It sure won’t be easy.

Trading for Kamara and extending him does two things for Belichick and the Pats. It vastly improves the head coach’s lease on life in 2020 by helping the team compete with the Kansas City Chiefs after the exodus of free agents this past offseason. It also gives the Patriots a multi-faceted star player for the foreseeable future (if they extend him) in the event Belichick decides his run is over in the next couple years. This is about to be Kamara’s fourth year in the NFL, so it’s not crazy to think he could be playing at a high level for another four or five.

Running back is a tricky position in terms of career length, but Kamara transcends it. On top of that, his abilities complement the Patriots offense to near perfection. All the Pats would have to do after this is get a No. 1 wideout in the offseason, bring back Newton, and keep drafting like they do.

Then the dynasty lives on.

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