Report: Alvin Kamara avoided major knee injury during Cowboys-Saints joint practice

Tuesday’s Rock 'Em Sock 'Em joint practice between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints included a scare for New Orleans when veteran running back Alvin Kamara left the session with a knee injury.

According to a report by Nick Underhill of, the injury involved Kamara’s knee, and the veteran was able to avoid what the report describes as a major injury. The report specifically indicates there were no torn ligaments.

The episode matters for two reasons. First, Kamara has been a central piece of the Saints’ backfield identity over the years, with his ability to handle both rush and pass-game roles making his availability important during the final stretch of preseason work. Second, joint practices are often where coaches look for rhythm and continuity, so any limitation can ripple into how both teams manage reps for the rest of the running-back group.

Still, the information in the report is narrow. While it reduces the risk of an advanced structural injury, it does not replace a full medical update, and it does not clarify how long Kamara might be limited or whether he will miss any upcoming preseason or regular-season preparation. In the NFL, knee injuries can vary widely in day-to-day function, even when there is no ligament tear.

For Dallas, the shared practice offered a direct look at a Saints offense that could feature heavy touches for its veteran backfield core. For New Orleans, the focus now shifts to monitoring Kamara’s knee response to treatment and work progression, and confirming whether he can return to full-speed practice without further setbacks.

The next checkpoint will be whether the Saints provide any additional clarification on Kamara’s status after the joint practice, including how much he is able to practice and whether the knee issue changes the distribution of early-down and passing-down work among the backfield.

Until there is more official information, the most accurate takeaway is that the report points to a less severe knee outcome than the most alarming version of such injuries, but it still represents a real concern worth tracking closely through the Saints’ remaining training cadence.