A disagreement between Cam Akers and the Rams led to the running back’s inclusion in multiple trade offers to the Panthers — for Christian McCaffrey and Brian Burns. Carolina passed on both proposals, but they were not the only offers including Akers to come in before Tuesday’s deadline.
The Rams passed on multiple offers for Akers, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, who adds the team is working with the third-year running back on a solution that would allow him to remain in Los Angeles this season (Twitter link). This report runs counter to a Tuesday offering that noted the Rams were not gaining much traction with an Akers trade.
This impasse initially was believed to lead Akers out of town; Sean McVay called a trade likely two weeks ago. The Rams included Akers in a McCaffrey proposal that also included two Day 2 picks and they included him as a throw-in in a Brian Burns offer headlined by 2024 and 2025 first-rounders.
The trade deadline passing limits the former second-rounder’s options. The ice seemed to be thinning here recently as well, with a report indicating Akers would be back with the Rams barring a trade. This would at least pause one of the more unusual player-team disagreements to crop up in recent years.
Akers has not recaptured the form he displayed before his July 2021 Achilles tear. Although Akers made a quicker-than-expected recovery that allowed him to play in each of the Rams’ four playoff games last season, his yards-per-carry numbers were well off his 2020 work. The Rams turned to Akers as their primary back for most of this season as well, but he is sitting on 3.0 yards per tote. Akers’ football-related dispute with the Rams has been ongoing since Week 6, when the team deactivated him after excused practice absences.
Los Angeles’ McCaffrey pursuit revealed a desire to upgrade at running back, and the team minimized Darrell Henderson‘s role in its Week 8 loss to the 49ers. Malcolm Brown and rookie UDFA Ronnie Rivers saw more time against the 49ers; Henderson received just four carries in the game. Akers returning would seemingly help the Rams, though unless he can more closely resemble his rookie-year version, the needle may not move much here.
Yeh sure Tom…..a leather football helmet, old AFL ball, and a couple of athletic supporters!
I am sure they were offer late round picks but I don’t see the value in hanging on to him if you aren’t going to play him because he will likely have the exact same value this off-season too.
Akers seems to be awfully disgruntled for a guys whose done nothing in the NFL and has no leverage.
He was a late second rounder. Just cut him. How many D’Onta Freemans are out there?
So not looking good then for K.Williams to be the main back
Sounds like a smoke screen by the Rams – perhaps to smooth the water for a low cost extension offer – as the league has no interest in backs that are averaging 3 yards/carry.
Just play him more or cut him.