#Saints’ Alvin Kamara, Vikings’ Dalvin Cook get mega-deals

One day before the first NFL Sunday of the year, two of the league’s top running backs scored big.

As Saints star running back Alvin Kamara finalized a five-year, $75 million contract extension ($34.3 million guaranteed) — according to multiple reports — Vikings lead back Dalvin Cook agreed to a five-year, $63 million extension ($28 million guaranteed), the team announced Saturday.

Kamara and the Saints had been involved in tense negotiations — following the running back’s four-day unexcused absence, prompting New Orleans to consider trading him, according to ESPN — with the 25-year-old entering the final year of his rookie contract. But the Saints ultimately rewarded one of the best all-around running backs with one of the highest-paying deals at his position. Kamara, the NFL’s 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year after being taken in the third round out of Tennessee, has recorded 2,408 rushing yards, 2,068 receiving yards and 38 touchdowns over three seasons.

Cook, 25, was set to be a free agent after this season, but has established his importance to the Vikings in just 29 games.

Taken in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Florida State, Cook tore his ACL in the fourth game of his career. He was limited to 11 games and 133 carries in his second season, but broke out as one of the league’s most versatile backs last season, posting 1,135 rushing yards, 519 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.

The signings follow an offseason in which multiple other young star running backs were rewarded with rich deals, including Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey (four-year, $64 million extension), Tennessee’s Derrick Henry (four-year, $50 million extension) and Cincinnati’s Joe Mixon (four-year, $48 million extension).