Alvin Kamara willing to play any role for Saints in Mark Ingram’s absence

The New Orleans Saints had arguably the best backfield in football last season thanks in large part to the emergence of Alvin Kamara, and the former Tennessee star could have an even brighter spotlight on him this year with Mark Ingram suspended four games. If that’s the case, Kamara says he is ready for it.

On Monday, Kamara was asked how he plans to handle the hype he has created with his incredible Rookie of the Year campaign.

“I’m cool,” he said, per ESPN’s Mike Triplett. “I was just talking to somebody the other day [about how] I was watching my highlights for the first time like last week. So I keep moving forward, I’m always looking for what I can accomplish next. … [That’s] my mentality. Year 2, I’m trying to do more than I did in Year 1. So I’m just ready to play.”

You might think Kamar will have to carry a bigger workload in Ingram’s absence, but Saints head coach Sean Payton recently said it would be unwise to subject Kamara to that. Kamara has no problem with that line of thinking, either.

“From the beginning, I’ve said, ‘Whatever I have to do.’ I trust Sean and I trust our coaches,” he said. “So however it unfolds, we’ll just handle it like that.”

Kamara totaled more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage last season, and he led the NFL with 6.1 yards per carry. He’s nowhere near the type of bruising back Ingram is, but he is certainly capable of being more than just a pass-catcher.

Payton has said the Saints are open to a reunion with a certain big name running back, but that same guy was basically chased out of town because Kamara got off to such a hot start in 2017. The 22-year-old should be more than capable of holding down the fort until Ingram returns.