Cam Akers
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Cam Akers of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates a third quarter touchdown during a game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 29, 2024 .
Cam Akers has already become a journeyman NFL running back, and he is taking another shot at latching on with a new team.
The veteran back and 2021 Super Bowl champion is reportedly going to try out for the New Orleans Saints during their minicamp this week.
Akers was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft and earned a championship ring by recovering from a torn Achilles tendon in less than five months for LA in 2021. He led the team with 67 carries in the playoffs that season.
Akers split time with the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans in 2024. He finished with 104 carries for 444 yards and two rushing TDs and added three receiving scores while playing 17 games between the clubs.
How Does Cam Akers Fit With The Saints?
To be clear, Akers is a long shot to even get a contract from the Saints. But the free agent running back, who has done two stints with the Vikings while also playing for the Rams and Texans, has been resilient over his five NFL seasons.
But Akers may fit better with the Saints than other clubs. He has been a timeshare throughout his NFL career, first with the Rams before backing up Alexander Mattison and Aaron Jones with the Vikings over his two seasons there.
Still, the Saints backfield is crowded, even though five-time Pro Bowl franchise running back Alvin Kamara has missed time in every season. Kamara famously has never posted a 1,000-yard rushing season, since the Saints have surrounded him with steady alternatives his whole career.
But aside from Kendre Miller, who New Orleans spent a third-round pick on in the 2023 draft, and 2025 sixth-round pick Devin Neal, the Saints also signed veteran Clyde Edwards-Helaire to a one-year contract after he spent the end of 2024 on their practice squad.
Those are only four of the seven running backs on the roster, not counting offensive Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill, who also commands carries.
Can Cam Akers Make The Saints?
Earning a contract with the Saints is possible, since Akers is still only two weeks shy of his 26th birthday. Plus, it isn’t as though the above-listed options are all that compelling behind Kamara, who is tough but isn’t the most durable running back.
The more likely scenario is Akers participates with the Saints in minicamp as a showcase to the remaining 31 NFL teams. First-year head coach Kellen Moore is well connected, since he has been the offensive coordinator in Dallas and Philadelphia the past two seasons, and will likely put in a word for Akers if he looks good but doesn’t have a spot.
Plus, injuries will happen, and Akers has shown a penchant for returning places where he has formerly played — proven by his multiple stints in Minnesota. The Rams have franchise back Kyren Williams and 2024 draft pick Blake Corum but could use more competition in their backfield as well.
Or if Akers looks good in minicamp maybe Moore advocates for him to sign a non-guaranteed contract for training camp. Again, he is younger than Edwards-Helaire and more established than the above-listed backs and could be a diamond in the rough for New Orleans.