K Major

Kamara’s Early Impact and Much More
By Mike Detillier


Coming out of every NFL draft folks ask about immediate impact players for their respective teams. Every once in a while you get a signature player as a rookie as a pass rusher or defensive back, but most of those immediate first year impact guys are on offense at halfback or wide receiver.

Last season the San Diego Chargers got a big impact hit on defense with the selection of defensive end Joey Bosa and in 2015 the Kansas City Chiefs hit early gold in cornerback Marcus Peters, but in 2016 look at the impact wide receiver Michael Thomas made with the New Orleans Saints and the huge impact halfback Ezekiel Elliott had with the Dallas Cowboys.

Early contributions of wide receivers Odell Beckham, Jr., DeAndre Hopkins, Amari Cooper, Mike Evans and Jarvis Landry made them Year 1 impact players in the NFL.

While cornerback Marshon Lattimore and free safety Marcus Williams are talented players to add to the Saints defensive squad and it is so needed, I believe the Year 1 impact performer will be Tennessee halfback Alvin Kamara.

He fits the role that Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles played so well with the Black and Gold and his receiving skills will eat up some of the catches wide receiver Brandin Cooks had on the offensive side of the ball.

With Cooks now in New England, the combination of Kamara and the addition of veteran wideout Ted Ginn, Jr. should fill in that huge opening of catches out on the field.

As a rookie Reggie Bush split time with Deuce McAllister at the halfback spot, but the former USC Heisman Trophy winner was the ideal fit in Sean Payton’s offense as the back in the slot as a receiver, the receiver catching the swing pass, the edge runner and punt returner.

While McAllister was still considered the lead-dog runner Bush touched the ball 271 times in 2006 as a runner, receiver and return man and contributed 1,523 yards of all-purpose yards.

Sproles was an established performer when he came to the Saints after six seasons with the San Diego Chargers, but in his first season with New Orleans in 2011 he touched the ball 242 times for 2,696 yards as a runner, receiver, punt returner and kickoff return man which set a new NFL all-purpose yardage mark.

One AFC general manager told me his team tried to trade up into the 3rd round to draft the speedy Volunteer halfback.

“We had to go defense in Round #2 to fill a huge need spot, but when Alvin fell into Round #3 we started making calls,” the AFC general manager said. “We knew other teams were too and we had found a trade partner, but the Saints got him first. We thought he could be a “Jamaal Charles-Kansas City Chiefs” type edge back and receiver. Before the knee injuries settled in with Jamaal he was a really good back and we were willing to part with multiple picks to get Kamara. He’s a great fit for the Saints. It is part of the business you miss out on a player that really can boost an offense quickly in the league and Kamara could have done that with us and he will with New Orleans.”

With Mark Ingram still the heavy-duty rushing back and him being backed up by 32-year old and future NFL Hall of Fame halfback Adrian Peterson, the speedy Kamara may not get 271 or 242 touches in the 2017 season, but you can bet the bank Sean Payton has a specific and extensive role for him in the Saints offense and you might be surprised just how many touches as a runner, receiver and return man the former Volunteer halfback has when it is all said and done with in 2017.

Kamara is the new offensive toy for Sean Payton in 2017.

Crusader

Kamara might be the piece that makes us become the No 1 offence again. The type of offence that puts up 35 points on any team and forces them to try and score on every possession.

hagan714

Kamara? oh please just pound them into the dust

turbo_dog

Let's hope our defense has improved enough to keep that from happening this year.

I can see Kamara getting about 10-12 touches per game until about week 3. Then maybe he busts one and starts getting about 15-20 touches.

Beastmode

If he can hold on to the rock. Seems that is the main ding. Probably not a big deal. I could see him taking over games early on. He has the ability.

Rugby Saint II

I see him more as a PT type of player from the highlight reels. He looks really good.....but not necessarily electric. He's a hard runner after contact and I can see him giving a huge lift to our special teams on punt returns too.

Let's not forget about Lasco either. However, I think we can forget about Cadet(thank God) and possibly Murphy.