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  Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff WriterOct 22, 2024, 08:15 PM ET

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  Katherine Terrell came back to ESPN to cover the New Orleans Saints in the summer of 2022. She left the company in 2019 after joining in 2016 to cover the Cincinnati Bengals. Katherine is a graduate of LSU and a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native, and she has covered the NFL since 2013. You can follow Katherine on Twitter: @Kat_Terrell

NEW ORLEANS — The Saints on Tuesday night announced a two-year extension for running back Alvin Kamara through 2026.

The extension is worth approximately $24.5 million, a source told ESPN.

Kamara appeared to confirm the news earlier in the night on his social media account when he reposted a response to the initial report of the extension.

Kamara said in September that he was willing to play through the season without a new deal. He entered this season with no guaranteed money left on his contract that he signed in 2020. The five-year, $75 million contract extension Kamara signed that year ran through the end of the 2025 season, but he was due $22.4 million in base salary and had a $29 million salary cap figure, which would have likely forced the Saints to adjust the contract in some way.

He was the last major contract the salary-cap strapped Saints had not addressed this year, which is something Kamara said he took note of earlier in the offseason. He missed the final practice of mandatory minicamp because of his contract but went through training camp as normal.

“I’m not worried about it. I’m here to play. I’m going to play. I’m going to perform. I don’t got no illness. I don’t got no mystery injury. I’m here. You know what I’m saying? I’m going to play, I’m going to perform, I’m going to be here with my teammates, coaches,” Kamara said in September. “Outside of all that, I think the most important thing, I mean, I love this city, right? I love the fans. I love these people. They support me. They’ve been supporting me for years now, right?

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“For me, in my head, it would be kind of selfish to not go out there. I mean, I interact with so many people every day. These people love me like I’m family. I feel the same way and vice versa. I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t come out here and try to put on for those people that have been supporting me.”

Kamara has 111 carries for 438 yards and six touchdowns this season. He also has 34 receptions for 252 yards and another score.

Kamara was a 2017 third-round pick of Tennessee and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year that season. Kamara, who has been to five Pro Bowls, recently denied trade rumors and said on X that he would like to finish his career in New Orleans.

According to the NFL Network, $22 million of the new deal will be guaranteed and free up $18 million against the 2025 salary cap.