After two days of indoor practice and a day of perfect weather, Prince Amukamara was still holding his breath in anticipation of the New Orleans humidity, but he's ready for whatever his new job might bring.
The veteran cornerback was one of a handful of signings aimed at boosting depth heading into the 2021 season. But for the former New York Giants and Chicago Bears standout, it's an opportunity to write his own story.
"It’s a whole lot of pride and basically not allowing the 32 teams to have the last say about my career," Amukamara said after Wednesday's practice. "And just allow myself to have the last say and show the guys, teams that I can still play. I know I’m still in a place where I’m auditioning, and so if we get to preseason I know I’m auditioning for 31 other teams and yea, so that’s my mindset."
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Amukamara, wearing No. 6 with the Saints, didn't see the field in 2020 despite spending time on a handful of rosters. One of those was the Las Vegas Raiders, which marked the first NFL team that had cut Amukamara in his career. The 32-year-old went up to Week 17 still thinking he could get a chance to play as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, but the team just missed out on the postseason.
It was an experience that has Amukamara approaching his opportunity with the Saints from a new perspective.
"It was just humbling," Amukamara said. "Got to learn a lot. Got to see what the scout team guys went through. I was really just there helping out guys. Any time a guy needed a breather, just going there, relieve him, because I knew my role.”
The first round pick of the New York Giants in 2011 signed on with the Saints this week after a workout. He was one of a handful of veteran signings since the start of training camp, including wide receiver Chris Hogan, running back Devonta Freeman and linebacker Kwon Alexander. The team also signed cornerbacks KeiVarae Russell and Adonis Alexander.
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The need for cornerback depth has become especially pronounced after the departure of cornerback Janoris Jenkins, another former Giants player, and potential looming discipline for Marshon Lattimore after an offseason arrest. The Saints have been running out Ken Crawley for first-team reps, followed by Patrick Robinson. The team also signed former Jets cornerback Brian Poole and drafted Paulson Adebo out of the Stanford in the third round of the recent draft.
Now effectively humbled, Amukamara is ready for whatever this Saints experience has to offer -- whether that's as a starter or anything else.
“Whatever role they have for me. They haven’t really established it. I know the quickest way to get on the team is, for sure, special teams, especially from where I’m starting," Amukamara said. "So just making sure that I’m engaged and yes, I do prepare like a starter and I’m gonna compete out here like I do want a starting spot. But there’s a lot of great guys here, and yea we’ll see how the chips fall.”