The New Orleans Saints didn’t need this right now.
Alvin Kamara has suffered an MCL sprain and is expected to miss at least a month, putting his availability for the start of the regular season in serious doubt.
But how exactly did it happen?
It Happened During Practice
Kamara suffered the injury during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday.
The veteran running back was forced to leave the session early after hurting his knee. At first, there was concern that the injury could be much worse.
Thankfully for Kamara and the Saints, it wasn’t.
Further reports indicate that he did not tear anything, and the injury has been diagnosed as a sprained medial collateral ligament, better known as an MCL sprain.
That’s obviously still a problem, but it’s much better news than the season-ending injury Saints fans may have feared.
How Long Will Kamara Be Out?
The current expectation is at least four weeks, with Reuters reporting a projected absence of around 4–6 weeks.
That’s a big deal because New Orleans opens its regular season against the Detroit Lions on September 13.
If Kamara needs the full recovery window, he could miss that game.
And suddenly, something that happened during a preseason practice has become a potential regular-season problem.
The Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
Kamara was already coming off a difficult 2025 campaign.
He played only 11 games and posted career lows of 471 rushing yards and 186 receiving yards, along with just one touchdown.
The Saints had also brought in Travis Etienne Jr., giving the team another major option in the backfield.
Now Etienne could be stepping into an even bigger role than expected.
Did Kamara Avoid the Worst?
Absolutely.
As bad as the timing is, the Saints can at least breathe a little easier knowing this isn’t being described as a major or season-ending knee injury.
But missing a month of preparation is still significant.
Kamara is 31, and the Saints will have to be careful about rushing him back before he’s ready.
For now, the biggest question is simple:
Will Alvin Kamara be healthy enough to play when the Saints actually need him?
We’ll have to wait and see.
