With the November 4 trade deadline under a month away, it’s becoming clear which teams should be sellers and which should be buyers. The Los Angeles Chargers, who are 3-2 but have lost several key players to injuries, absolutely should be buyers. But a team like the New Orleans Saints, who just picked up their first win, defeating a struggling New York Giants team in Week 5, should be sellers.
Considering the circumstances of both teams, many fans have proposed the idea of Los Angeles acquiring star running back Alvin Kamara. While it’s a move that would make sense, there are several reasons why it’s unlikely to happen, so fans shouldn’t get their hopes up.
Chargers trading for Alvin Kamara is unlikely to happen
Kamara coming to Los Angles isn’t a bad idea at all, for either team really. The Chargers can be contenders, and they need running back help. New Orleans, on the other hand, is clearly in a rebuild, and they have a promising young running back in Kendre Miller. With Kamara still playing well, while also nearing the end of his career, sending him off to a contender would make sense.
There’s one problem with that, though: Kamara doesn’t want to go anywhere, and he’s made that clear. When the veteran running back signed an extension with the Saints last year, in the middle of a 5-12 season, he expressed that his love for New Orlenas wouldn’t even allow him to put on another uniform. Those comments echoed a previous statement from him, where he said he’d just retire whenever his time with the Saints ends.
Of course, things could change, and New Orleans could also ignore the running back’s wishes, but Kamara, nor the franchise, have given people a reason to believe they would change course.
Beyond Kamara’s desires, the Chargers probably wouldn’t even be able to get the deal done. Los Angeles has already traded away a fifth, and seventh-round pick in next year’s draft, leaving the team with just two day-three picks (4th and 6th). Additionally, while rookie running back Omarion Hampton has been placed on injured reserve, the belief is that he could return after four games, as soon as he’s eligible.
So between the Chargers’ lack of late-round picks, Hampton’s injury not being that serious, and Kamara not wanting to leave New Orleans, fans can put to bed the idea of acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler.