Likely suspension for Alvin Kamara following battery arrest revealed
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara made headlines this weekend for all the wrong reasons. Following the NFL Pro Bowl game, he was arrested at Allegiant Stadium and read his Miranda rights following the game.
SOURCE SPORTS: Alvin Kamara Arrested on Battery Charges After Playing in the Pro Bowl ow.ly/VFZX30sa7sV
Kamara and a few friends were out at a club the night before the Pro Bowl game when they allegedly assaulted Darnelle Greene, who was hospitalized following the incident.
The Saints running back was arrested on suspicion of battery causing substantial physical harm, which resulted in a broken orbital bone to the victim. He was never officially charged, and the courts will circle back to the investigation in March.
Pictures of Alvin Kamara’s assault have been released. #NFL https://t.co/vez5OrvfdT
If charged and convicted of this crime, he would be fined $10,000, and would be sentenced to one to five years in prison in Nevada.
Regardless of whether the former Tennessee Volunteers standout player is charged, the NFL has the power to suspend him or not for his actions.
The NFL will conduct its own independent investigation to determine whether Kamara’s conduct violated the league's personal conduct policy, which says the following about violent offenses including assault and battery:
"A first offense will subject the offender to a baseline suspension without pay of six games, with consideration given to any aggravating or mitigating factors.”
Police questioned the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year following the incident and he confirmed it was him in the video. He stated that a fight broke out and he punched someone who got in his way, but that statement contradicted video surveillance.
According to a police report obtained from Pro Football Talk, the Saints player told police that the victim, Darnell Greene, called one of his friends “ugly” and said to him, “I’ll whoop your a**, too.”
The running back said that he saw a fight break out next to him, and that he saw Greene get punched. Kamara admitted to throwing “a couple punches, thinking the guy was running away.”
He said he didn’t remember whether he punched Greene while he was on the ground.
What would it mean for the Saints to play without Alvin Kamara?
Although the legal situation is for the Saints' Pro Bowl running back is more concerning, there is also the football aspect to focus on as well.
If he were to be suspended for the first six games in 2022, that would be a huge blow to the Saints. The former All-Pro player is the best player on offense for the Saints and it would be a bad start to the Dennis Allen era (who was recently hired as head coach) to be without Kamara for the first six games.
In 13 games last season, Kamara scored nine touchdowns and accounted for 1,337 total yards.
With the status of quarterback Jameis Winston in question, the Saints will need a prayer if they are to take the field without the services of their star running back.