HEADLINES

Cam Akers

Texans Sign RB Cam Akers

July 21st, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

8:03pm: Akers’ Sunday tryout in Houston was a successful one as Wilson follows up his earlier report with an update that Akers has been signed by the Texans. After 15 starts in just over three years with the Rams and short stint in Minnesota, Akers now joins the Texans backfield for a third opportunity. He’ll now compete with Dare Ogunbowale and rookie sixth-round pick Jawhar Jordan for a backup role behind Mixon and Pierce.

In addition to Jackson and Williams, Wilson reports that Akers was joined in his workout by Ke’Shawn Vaughn. A former third-round pick out of Vanderbilt, Vaughn failed to catch on in Tampa Bay before spending part of last year on the Patriots’ practice squad.

1:40pm: The Texans have been busy in recent days with respect to investigating a backfield addition. Houston’s efforts on that front continued Sunday.

The team hosted Cam Akers on a workout, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports. The former Ram and Viking is among the players looking to find a new home as training camps open around the league. Houston also brought in veteran Deon Jackson and undrafted rookie Miyan Williams earlier this week.

Devin Singletary departed in free agency this year, and the Texans were suitors for a number of high-profile backs on the market. In the end, the team swung a trade with the Bengals for Joe Mixon and signed him to a new deal. The soon-to-be 28-year-old will thus handle lead back duties for the foreseeable future. 2022 fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce remains as a backup option.

Houston has nearly $19MM in cap space, so a move at the running back spot (or any other position) is certainly feasible. Akers, 25, should not be an expensive option for the Texans or any other interested team. Following the end of his Los Angeles tenure, he was dealt to Minnesota. The Florida State alum made just six appearances with the Vikings before he was sidelined with the second Achilles tear of his career.

To little surprise, Akers – who showed promise when healthy before falling out of favor with Sean McVay – remains unsigned deep into the offseason. He recently underwent a physical, and a report from earlier this month suggested the Vikings would be open to re-signing him if he passed. The fact that Akers is still available (and visiting other teams) is a sign he failed the physical or that Minnesota has moved on to other options. In any event, he will attempt to latch onto a roster in Houston or elsewhere in the coming days.

Vikings Open To Re-Signing RB Cam Akers?

July 2nd, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Cam Akers closed out the 2023 season in Minnesota after his Rams tenure ended in a trade. The free agent running back is still on the market, but a deal allowing him to remain with the Vikings could be worked out shortly.

Akers is set to take part in a physical, and Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press writes passing it could put him on track to re-sign in Minnesota. That would allow the 25-year-old to compete for a depth spot in the backfield during training camp. Akers’ Vikings tenure proved to be short-lived when he suffered an Achilles tear in November.

That represented the second such injury of his relatively brief career, and to little surprise it hurt his free agent value. The former second-rounder was limited to one regular season contest in 2021, although he did manage to return to action in time for the Rams’ Super Bowl run that year. A falling out with head coach Sean McVay made it clear Akers would not have a long spell in Los Angeles, however, and the trade which sent him to Minnesota paved the way for a fresh start.

Across six games with the Vikings, the Florida State product posted 138 yards and one touchdown on a 3.6 yards per attempt average. Akers did chip in with respect to the passing game (11 receptions, 70 yards) but those figures will limit expectations for him on Minnesota or any new team he joins this summer. Regardless of if he is brought back into the fold, the Vikings have a number of backfield options available.

Allowing Alexander Mattison to depart, the team added former Packer Aaron Jones on a one-year deal. He will occupy lead back duties in 2024, while recent draftees Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride will compete for backup snaps. The Vikings also have Kene Nwangwu in place as their kick returner, as well as Myles Gaskin as an option for veteran depth. The latter in particular would be in competition for a roster spot if Akers were to re-sign. The Vikings currently have over $26MM in cap space.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/8/23

November 8th, 2023 at 7:29pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

Seattle Seahawks

Cory Littleton is back in Houston. The linebacker already got into six games with the Texans this season, mostly playing on special teams. After getting cut in late October, he caught on with the Saints practice squad and quickly earned a promotion on Sunday. This time around, Littleton should be sticking in Houston, at least temporarily. The Texans are required to keep the LB on their active roster for at least three weeks.

The veteran had a productive stint with the Rams to begin his career. He spent four years in Los Angeles, including a two-year stint between 2018 and 2019 where he averaged 129 tackles per season.

Vikings RB Cam Akers Suffers Achilles Tear

November 6th, 2023 at 12:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 6: O’Connell confirmed on Monday that Akers has indeed suffered the second Achilles tear of his NFL career (which, as ESPN’s Kevin Seifert notes, affects the other tendon than the one severed in 2021). The injury will deal a blow to his free agent prospects, and leave a Vikings offense now resting on Josh Dobbs at quarterback without a key contributor in the ground game.

NOVEMBER : The Vikings appear to have suffered a season-ending injury on offense for the second straight week. Head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network) that running back Cam Akers is feared to have suffered an Achilles tear.

That would mark the second such injury to befall Minnesota in as many weeks, with Kirk Cousins being lost for the year in Week 8. Of course, confirmation of the initial fear would mark the second time in Akers’ career that he tore his Achilles. As a result, today’s news marks a major blow to both team and player.

Akers tore his Achilles in the summer of 2021, an injury which derailed his second season with the Rams. Expectations were high for him entering that campaign, given the fact he had established himself as the team’s lead back. While the Florida State product later returned to full health and had stretches of strong play, his tenure in Los Angeles did not come to an end on good terms.

Mentioned in trade speculation in 2022, Akers was retained for the rest of that season and stayed in place as part of the Rams’ backfield to begin the current campaign. He found himself a healthy scratch and buried behind Kyren Williams on the depth chart, however, so it came as no surprise that a trade partner was found this time around. Akers was dealt to the Vikings in September.

That trade – which included a swap of Day 3 picks in 2026 – gave Akers an opportunity to see a more consistent workload in advance of reaching free agency for the first time. The 24-year-old saw only 11 carries in his first three games in Minnesota, as the team kept up its commitment to Alexander Mattison atop the depth chart. However, Akers saw 27 carries in the past three games, carving out an RB2 role for himself along the way. He posted 113 rushing yards (at a rate of 3.8 per carry) and one touchdown during his brief time before going down with what is likely another massive injury.

Presuming further tests confirm the worst-case scenario, Akers’ free agent stock will take a hit. The former second-rounder was already in line for a less-than-stellar market for himself given his performances, injury history and the nature of the RB position. A second Achilles tear would hinder his earning power for 2024 and beyond even further, though, and threaten his availability for the start of next season.

Latest On Vikings’ RB Room

September 22nd, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Cam Akers‘ time in Los Angeles came to an expected end earlier this week when he was dealt to Minnesota. The move has led to questions about the Vikings’ pecking order at the running back spot, but the team’s depth chart appears set to remain the same at the top.

Alexander Mattison took over RB1 duties this offseason when the Vikings released Dalvin Cook, but that move has not yielded success on the ground to date. Minnesota has the league’s least productive run game through Week 2, having totaled just 69 rushing yards. Mattison’s inefficiency is among the causes for that figure, but he is safe in his role as starter even with Akers in the fold.

“We haven’t lost confidence in Alex Mattison,” Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I will say that. Unfortunately we’ve had a couple turnovers in the run game where we obviously need to clean that up. Everyone’s aware of that. But we still feel very strongly in Alex and [backup Ty Chandler] and those guys being able to go in and produce. We know we have to be better in the run game. A lot of that starts with us, and the players fundamentally. All those things we’ve addressed, and… I think it will improve dramatically.”

Phillips and head coach Kevin O’Connell are among the Vikings staffers with ties to Akers dating back to their shared time with the Rams. That level of familiarity should help the latter’s acclimation period with his new team, one which figures to use him in a rotational capacity early on. Expectations will be tempered considering the fact Minnesota only needed to swap future Day 3 picks to acquire Akers, but a strong showing in the coming weeks would help his free agent stock considerably ahead of the offseason.

It would also give the team another option in the run game aside from Mattison, whom Seifert notes does not expect to see his role changed with Akers now in the picture. Improvement on the ground in any capacity would be welcomed for the 0-2 Vikings, but it will be interesting to see how the backfield is managed with a former second-round pick (who started 15 of his 30 Rams contests) in place. For now, at least, Mattison is safe atop the RB depth chart.

Rams Trade RB Cam Akers To Vikings

September 21st, 2023 at 12:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 21: For the conditions to be met, Akers must combine for 500 yards from scrimmage with the Vikings, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. In Akers’ two healthy seasons, he has hit 748 and 903 scrimmage yards, respectively.

SEPTEMBER 20: The off-and-on Rams-Cam Akers drama will come to an end Wednesday. The Rams found a taker for Akers, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who reports the Vikings will acquire the fourth-year running back.

Minnesota and Los Angeles will swap late-round 2026 draft choices, Pelissero adds. Given Akers’ inconsistent history, it was always unlikely the Rams would obtain much for him. But the Vikings will take a flier on the former second-round pick.

The Vikings will send Los Angeles a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026. In exchange, the Rams will send Minnesota Akers and a 2026 conditional seventh-rounder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Terms on the conditions of each pick have not yet been released, but with nearly three full seasons in between now and then, there are a vast number of possibilities for what might alter these picks.

For an in-season trade, this presents the opportunity for a smooth Akers transition. Kevin O’Connell served as the Rams’ offensive coordinator during Akers’ first two NFL seasons, and Vikings OC Wes Phillips was also in L.A. during that span. Akers will join a Vikings backfield transitioning from Dalvin Cook‘s six-year tenure, leaving the Rams with their now-Kyren Williams-fronted setup behind Matthew Stafford.

The tumultuous Rams-Akers relationship reached the point of no return Sunday, when the team deactivated the former starter for its Week 2 game. Akers, 24, expressed confusion at the move, but he and Sean McVay had not seen eye to eye for periods over the past year. McVay indicated a trade was likely.

Despite opening each of the past two Rams seasons as the starting running back, Akers found himself a healthy scratch each year. Los Angeles scratched Akers for Week 6 last season, as trade rumors swirled. While the team held onto Akers after negotiating with teams ahead of last year’s trade deadline, the Vikings are now responsible for the last year of his rookie deal.

It does not appear the Rams would have settled for his level of trade compensation last year, when they rejected trade offers, but the minimal return points to the Rams being prepared to accept just about anything to end this relationship. The Browns, Buccaneers, Raiders and Ravens were mentioned as interested parties. The Browns took themselves out of the running Wednesday morning, when they reunited with Kareem Hunt. Although McVay disciples are in HC posts elsewhere — Matt LaFleur, Brandon Staley, Zac Taylor — the Vikings make the most sense from a familiarity standpoint due to O’Connell having coached Akers as OC.

While 2026 late-round draft choices effectively indicate how little trade value Akers brought, he has produced promising stretches during an inconsistent career. The Rams turned to the Florida State product late in the 2020 season, and the then-rookie ripped off a 171-yard showing against the Patriots. Akers then amassed 131 rushing yards to help the Rams upset the Seahawks in the 2020 wild-card round. After last year’s spate of hiccups, Akers regrouped to close the season with three straight 100-yard performances. While seldom used as a receiver, Akers has enjoyed productive periods as a ball-carrier.

Of course, Akers also suffered an Achilles tear in July 2021. This prompted the Rams to trade for Sony Michel. While Akers made a surprising return in time for Week 18 and suited up for the Rams in the playoffs, he did not regain his previous form. As the Rams’ O-line deteriorated last season, Akers struggled, leading to the disagreement with McVay. He opened this year with a wildly ineffective 22-carry, 29-yard showing in Seattle, ceding the key backfield touches to Williams, a 2022 fifth-round pick who has seized command for the retooling Rams.

The Vikings turned to longtime Cook backup Alexander Mattison this offseason, opting not to bring in another veteran to supplement the career-long RB2. Mattison, 25, is off to a slow start. The fifth-year back is averaging 3.3 yards per carry; in Week 2, he lost a fumble in what turned out to be a one-score loss to the Eagles. Overall, Minnesota has gained an NFL-low 69 rushing yards. Mattison should still be expected to lead the way in Minnesota, but Akers represents competition. The Vikes roster 2022 fifth-rounder Ty Chandler and late-summer pickup Myles Gaskin behind Mattison.

Browns Hosting Kareem Hunt On Visit; Cam Akers On Radar

September 19th, 2023 at 3:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:25pm: This process is moving fast. The Browns are hosting Hunt on a Tuesday visit, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This marks Hunt’s fourth known visit this offseason. He met with the Vikings, Saints and Colts. As of this past weekend, Indianapolis still had the six-year veteran on its radar.

2:52pm: Nick Chubb‘s gruesome injury has forced the Browns to look for a running back addition. The team is in the Cam Akers trade market, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot reports Kareem Hunt is also back on the radar.

In April, a report emerged indicating the Browns were not planning to bring back Hunt, who played out a two-year, $12MM extension with his hometown team last season. But Hunt has remained a free agent for the past six months. Having visited the Colts, Saints and Vikings, the former rushing champion looms as a natural fit for the Browns, seeing as he spent the past three seasons in Kevin Stefanski‘s system.

At 24, Akers is four years younger than Hunt, who turned 28 last month. The Cleveland-area native came up in trade talks before last year’s deadline, but after Hunt completed a down season, the running back market cratered. No substantial offers have likely come Hunt’s way, leading to the longtime Chubb complementary piece remaining unattached. An interesting opportunity could soon await, though it might depend on what the Rams are willing to accept for Akers. Hunt has logged 1,106 career touches; Akers’ NFL odometer sits at 387.

At least four teams are believed to have discussed Akers with the Rams. The former second-round pick is again on the trade block, becoming a healthy scratch in Week 2. While the Rams and Akers mended fences after last year’s dustup — one that led to trade talks ahead of the 2022 deadline — Sean McVay confirmed a trade represents this latest saga’s likely endpoint.

As Chubb led the NFL in Next Gen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric last season, with 284, Hunt finished with minus-10. Hunt gained only 678 scrimmage yards in 17 games. The 2017 rushing champ had requested a trade during the 2022 offseason, and after the Browns refused to accommodate him at that point, they were open to an in-season move. A fourth-round pick emerged as a Cleveland ask, but the team ended up hanging onto Hunt during Deshaun Watson‘s suspension. A host of lower-profile backs found deals in March, and Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott wound up with teams during training camp. Hunt and Leonard Fournette, however, have been unattached for more than six months.

Calf and ankle injuries limited Hunt in 2021; he amassed just 560 scrimmage yards that year. The ex-Chief played a major role in the Browns snapping their near-two-decade playoff drought in 2020, producing 1,145 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns alongside Chubb. During the Chubb-Hunt partnership, the latter played a much bigger passing-game role. Akers has not done much as a receiver during his pro career.

Hunt complementing 2022 fifth-rounder Jerome Ford in a similar capacity makes sense for the Browns, who did acquire Pierre Strong from the Patriots in August. Ford played the lead role following Chubb’s season-ending injury Monday night.

Going through an up-and-down career with the Rams, Akers did close the 2022 season well after seeing a July 2021 Achilles tear sidetrack him. Akers produced three straight 100-yard games from Weeks 16-18 but has seen 2022 fifth-rounder Kyren Williams usurp him in L.A.’s backfield. Akers rushed for just 29 yards on 22 carries in Week 1, with most of those totes coming after the Rams had put the Seahawks matchup out of reach.

Hunt arrived back in Cleveland during John Dorsey‘s GM stretch, reuniting with the exec who drafted him with the Chiefs. But Hunt signed the above-referenced extension during Andrew Berry‘s first year at the helm. With this looming as a crucial year for Stefanski (and perhaps Berry as well), it is logical the Browns are looking for a veteran to team with Ford, who totaled just eight carries for 12 yards last season. Trey Sermon also landed on the Browns’ radar, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, but the ex-49ers and Eagles back signed with the Colts’ P-squad.

Rams RB Cam Akers Drawing Trade Interest

September 19th, 2023 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

With Cam Akers‘ time with the Rams set to come to an end, multiple suitors appear to have emerged for his services as a mid-season rental. At least four teams have reached out regarding the contract-year back, reports Jordan Schultz of the Score.

Schultz names the Buccaneers, Ravens, Raiders and Browns as being among the clubs which have show interest in a deal for Akers. The 24-year-old was a healthy scratch in Week 2, and head coach Sean McVay has since confirmed that the Rams are once again interested in finding a trade partner to move on from their former second-rounder. Today’s update points further to a trade being the end to this situation.

Both Baltimore and Cleveland have seen their No. 1 backs go down with massive injuries early in the year. J.K. Dobbins suffered an Achilles tear in Week 1, while Nick Chubb is likely to miss the remainder of the campaign after encountering multiple ligament tears in his knee last night. It thus comes as no surprise those squads would seek out short-term help in the backfield, though Ravens head coach John Harbaugh recently stated his confidence in the team’s incumbent RB options.

Kevin Stefanski confirmed, via Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald, the Browns are looking for backfield help in the wake of the Chubb injury. Akers would represent a low-cost addition (in terms of draft capital and finances) to help stabilize the team’s ground game while turning to Jerome Ford in a larger capacity. Even with Deshaun Watson and a new-look receiving corps in place, Cleveland’s offense is still likely to depend in large part on the run game, particularly if a notable addition is made.

Ex-Browns backup Kareem Hunt is still on the open market, and he would represent a logical candidate for a reunion if Cleveland does elect to add a veteran back. Given Ford’s skillset, though, adding Akers for early-down contributions would also come as little surprise. The Florida State alum has been used sparingly as a pass-catcher during his time with the Rams, one which has included serious trade talk for each of the past two seasons.

Both the Raiders and Bucs have their lead back in place at the moment (Josh Jacobs and Rachaad White, respectively), but each squad could use a depth addition. Jacobs – who like Akers is set to hit free agency at the end of the season – has averaged only 1.6 yards per carry through two weeks as Vegas has struggled to find success on the ground. White has likewise seen his efficiency (3.3 yards per attempt) drop compared to last season despite Tampa Bay’s 2-0 start.

Akers struggled in his lone game of the 2023 campaign, turning 22 carries into just 29 rushing yards (though he did find the endzone as well). That performance helped inform the Rams’ decision to turn to Kyren Williams as their new lead back, and no doubt hindered Akers’ trade value. Now far removed from his 2021 Achilles tear, however, the latter could prove to be an effective pickup for a team in need of healthy bodies in the backfield. A favorable new environment could produce a rebound performance for Akers, something which would boost his free agent value come the spring. With multiple interested parties, meanwhile, the Rams may be able to secure somewhat notable draft compensation in a swap.

Latest On Rams, RB Cam Akers

September 18th, 2023 at 6:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

6:55pm: The Rams have spoken with a few teams on Akers, McVay said Monday (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue). The seventh-year HC confirmed a trade is where this process appears headed. The Rams made an effort to move Akers before last year’s deadline. This process might end up resolved well before this year’s Oct. 31 deadline. Considering the developments in the running back market between last year’s deadline and now, the Rams will not be in position to collect much for the trade-block mainstay.

9:50am: Cam Akers found himself a healthy scratch in Week 2, and his tenure with the Rams is once again in question. When asked about the situation, head coach Sean McVay confirmed the team is still exploring all options with respect to keeping or trading its former lead running back.

A report from Sunday indicated the Rams are again looking to trade Akers, who was deactivated midway through the 2022 campaign amidst a dispute with the coaching staff related to his role. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms that Los Angeles has indeed re-engaged in trade talks relating to the 24-year-old with his role of No. 1 back having been ceded to 2022 fifth-rounder Kyren Williams.

When speaking to the media following the Rams’ loss to the 49ers, McVay said this latest Akers situation is different from that of last year, with his benching simply being a coach’s decision based on practice and performance. He added that Williams, former UDFA Ronnie Rivers and veteran Royce Freeman – the running back trio which handled backfield duties on Sunday – will retain their respective spots on the depth chart for the time being. That leaves Akers’ future with the team in question.

“I think there’s going to be an opportunity to see what that looks like moving forward, but it’s not going to be a back-and-forth thing,” McVay said of Akers, via Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network. “He and I have had great dialogue, and we’ll see what happens over the next couple of days.”

The Rams attempted to move on from the Florida State product in the lead-in to last year’s trade deadline, but no offer they deemed sufficient emerged. The uncertainty regarding Akers’ tenure with the team seemed to be put to rest with his lead role restored during Week 1, but his inefficiency led to Williams receiving a larger workload for the following contest. The latter saw 20 touches on Sunday, producing 100 scrimmage yards and a pair of touchdowns.

With Akers set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2023, the Rams attempted to add veteran depth in the backfield by reuniting with Sony Michel in the offseason. The 28-year-old wound up retiring in July, however, leaving the team thinner at the RB spot. That would become the case to an increased extent if an Akers trade were to be worked out in the future, though Williams’ success to date suggests he could handle RB1 duties on a full-time basis. Los Angeles also has sixth-round rookie Zach Evans in place as a depth option, though he has yet to see the field this season.

Rams’ Cam Akers Back On Trade Block?

September 17th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

After his tenure with the Rams seemed to be over in 2022, Cam Akers could find himself on the move soon. The running back will be a healthy scratch in Week 2, as first reported by Jay Glazer during Fox Sports’ pregame show.

Glazer adds that the Rams are looking to trade the 24-year-old. Akers expressed his confusion regarding the situation on social media, but it appears as though his career could take him out of Los Angeles in the near future. He is thus in a similar circumstance to the one he found himself in last year.

The Rams deactivated Akers in Week 6 last year, and head coach Sean McVay confirmed not long after that the team was seeking a trade partner. That seemed to mark an end to his time in Los Angeles, with issues related to his role and communication with the coaching staff being cited as the cause for the apparent split between team and player. In the end, though, the Rams turned down trade offers in advance of the deadline.

That left the former second-rounder in place ahead of the final year of his rookie contract. Fully recovered from his 2021 Achilles tear, Akers was in line to serve in a notable early-down role to start the 2023 campaign. He handled 22 carries in Week 1, though he managed to turn those opportunities into just 29 rushing yards. For today at least, the Rams will likely to turn to 2022 fifth-rounder Kyren Williams as their lead back.

With Akers set to hit free agency at the end of the season, it is doubtful the Rams would be able to land any signficant draft capital in the event they were to deal the Florida State product. Nevertheless, a parting of ways could be in the best interests of all parties involved in this situation. Akers’ status moving forward will remain worth watching closely as the Rams prepare to take on the 49ers later today.

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