The 2026 NFL Draft is fast approaching, and there has been a lot of attention paid to which direction the New Orleans Saints might lean with the eighth overall selection in the first round. Still, with a total of eight selections in the three-day event, the Saints will still find immediate contributors later on, especially considering they have two other selections in the top 73 selections.
However, the Saints could also use the draft as an opportunity to acquire one of their most recognizable players, depending on how the draft board looks for both them and other teams.
According to Saints general manager Mickey Loomis, the outcome of this weekend's draft could "impact" the future of Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan's status with the team.
"I think it could have an impact on it," Loomis said. "You know, we'll see what happens, and it goes both ways, it could impact them, from their perspective and also from our perspective."
Jordan is already a free agent. Meanwhile, the Saints signed running back Travis Etienne to a four-year, $48 million contract this offseason, and Kamara is entering the final year of his contract. It's certainly possible that another team would be willing to part with a third-day draft selection in exchange for Kamara. The five-time Pro Bowl back is now 30 years old and is playing his first season without at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
For a Saints team that has already moved on at the RB position, parting ways with Kamara for any type of draft compensation would be a win. Plus, they would be doing one of their franchise icons a favor by giving them a better opportunity elsewhere. Of course, they could have done him an even bigger favor by releasing him entirely, giving Kamara the chance to choose his own team rather than being traded there.
RELATED: Final 2026 NFL mock draft: Projecting Round 1 with trades
