According to a statement released by the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Cam Akers has been dealt to the Minnesota Vikings. It was first announced that Akers was up for sale three days before to the transfer. In Week 2’s 30-23 loss to the 49ers, Akers sat out of the Rams’ Sunday game. The Vikings will receive a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027 from the Rams, and the Rams will receive a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026 as part of the agreement.
According to The Athletic, head coach Sean McVay revealed to reporters on Monday that general manager Les Snead had discussed Akers with a couple of clubs, thus corroborating Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer’s claim.
McVay, speaking to NFL.com, stated that he “felt that was best for our football team.” I made that choice because I believed that Kyren Williams had given us the best chance and that Ronnie Rivers and Royce Freeman had done the right thing.
Akers, a former second-round choice, assisted the Rams in winning the Super Bowl in his second season following recovery from an Achilles injury incurred during the summer. Even though he requested a trade during the season’s opening half, he still ran for a career-high 786 yards & seven touchdowns last year. In the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the Seahawks, Akers only managed 29 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
Despite having the utmost regard for Cam Akers, McVay said, “I felt like that would prove to be the best decision for our football team today, in this game, and moving forward.”
Akers will join the Vikings’ running offense in Minnesota, which is currently last in the NFL after two weeks. Akers will work with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell once more; O’Connell served as Akers’ offensive coordinator for his first two seasons with the Rams.
The grade each team received following the transaction that transferred Akers to Minnesota is as follows:
Vikings B
Give the Vikings credit for proactively attempting to enhance their running back situation. After two weeks, it became evident that they needed a boost for their ground game, and the Vikings have in Akers a previous second-round choice who is acquainted with O’Connell. Minnesota earned bonus points for purchasing Akers at a low cost.
Akers hasn’t been particularly good, but he was a more than capable starter for the Rams when he was healthy. That might just be sufficient for the Vikings, who will play the similarly winless Chargers on Sunday and are currently 0-2 overall.
Rams C
It’s true that the Rams favor Kyren Williams, and based on his performance in Week 1, it was unlikely that Akers would play a significant role in the offense. But it’s disappointing that the Rams received so little in exchange for Akers, especially considering that they allegedly spoke with other teams about him.
Despite this, the Rams had little influence over the situation. They wanted to move Akers, but it was unlikely that other teams would be prepared to part up much for him. Even though they received little in return for a man who averaged 1.3 yards per rush in Week 1, the Rams did receive something.