Nobody in the NFC South has a winning record, so the New Orleans Saints can be 1-2 heading into Monday night’s game against Atlanta and still own a share of the division lead. That makes them an unusual team to shop from, even with Alvin Kamara on an expiring contract and a backup quarterback other teams have already called about.
The trade deadline is Nov. 10, a little more than five weeks away. Three Saints are worth keeping in the conversation until then.
Alvin Kamara
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Kamara is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher and a five-time Pro Bowl pick, and at 31 he is playing on a one-year, $6 million contract he signed in July. He missed the opener with an MCL sprain and has 18 carries for 51 yards in two games since. His 54.0 overall grade from PFF ranks 44th among 46 qualified running backs.
His workload is about to grow. Travis Etienne Jr. went on injured reserve this week with a hamstring injury and will miss at least four games, and Saints coach Kellen Moore said of his backfield, “I think Alvin and Kendre will handle that load really well.” That gives Kamara about a month of lead-back work before the deadline. Any deal would need his cooperation, though. Kamara told reporters last October that if the Saints tried to move him, “I’ll go drink a piña colada somewhere.”
Spencer Rattler
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Rattler is the one Saint who has already drawn calls. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported at roster cutdown that New Orleans was keeping him despite trade interest. Moore said then of Rattler and Zach Wilson, “both of these guys are 2s in the NFL.”
Rattler is second on the Saints’ depth chart behind Tyler Shough, with Wilson third. The 26-year-old has 14 career starts and completed 67.7% of his passes last season with eight touchdown passes and five interceptions. He is signed through 2027 at a $1.075 million base salary, which any team that loses a quarterback in October can afford.
Carl Granderson
Granderson has started all three games opposite Chase Young and has one sack and six pressures, with a 72.2 grade from PFF that ranks 29th among 110 qualified edge defenders. Young has 3.5 sacks, and the Saints also have Cameron Jordan, Tyree Wilson and Anfernee Jennings in the rotation.
The contract is what would interest another team. After several restructures, Granderson’s base salary is $1.3 million this year, and none of his $10.75 million salary for 2027 is guaranteed. The cost would land on New Orleans, which would carry about $26.5 million in dead money across this year and next if it traded him, per Over the Cap.
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