After going through New Orleans Saints minicamp on a tryout basis, Cam Akers will be heading into training camp as a part of the roster.
Friday evening The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported the Saints were signing Akers. It's a limit on how much you can do during minicamp since there aren't any live action drills or players in pads, but Kellen Moore clearly had his interest piqued enough to want to see more.
That is what this signing truly comes down to. Akers showed enough in a tryout to earn the right to compete, and now he'll have the right to show why he deserves a role. Moving beynd the tryout should simply be viewed as the Saints adding another player to the competition behind Alvin Kamara.
Saints running back battle behind Alvin Kamara
Akers joins the bunch of Kendre Miller, Devin Neal and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Velus Jones and Marcus Yarns are also in the room, but they feel like practice squad players if they don't show special teams potential.
It will be an uphill battle for Akers. His health may be the biggest question mark. Akers has torn both of his Achilles. Those injuries take a toll and leave lingering doubt around a player's future availability. New Orleans already has that issue with Miller, so that may make things more difficult for Akers
Beyond just his health, the running back room has quietly grown quite competitive. Miller feels like a safe bet to make the roster, and Devin Neal steps into training camp with a clean slate and a boatload of hype. If he can come close to living up to the hype, he's likely the third running back on the roster.
If Akers wants to make the roster, he will have to outplay Neal and Edwards-Helaire because banking on the Saints keeping four running backs is risky. They've done it before, but that fourth running back typially had special teams ability. That's where Yarns and Jones have the upperhand.
Akers has signed with the Saints but the battle has just begun. He's been entered into a fatal four way for essentially one spot.