Vikings Improve Ground Attack: Acquire Talented RB Cam Akers in Trade with Rams

The Minnesota Vikings made a bold move on Wednesday when they traded for running back Cam Akers from the Los Angeles Rams, according to official statements from both teams.

This deal, which is still awaiting a physical examination, involves a swap of 2026 draft picks, with the Vikings also receiving a conditional seventh-round pick and the Rams acquiring a conditional sixth-rounder.

Seeking solutions to their struggling rushing attack, the Vikings currently have the lowest rushing yards in the NFL this season. After parting ways with former starter Dalvin Cook and replacing him with Alexander Mattison, their offense has heavily relied on the passing game, which has produced the second-highest yards in the league (674) but neglected the running backs, attempting only 23 carries.

Starting the season with an 0-2 record, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has repeatedly expressed his desire for a more reliable and efficient running game. In an effort to address the issue, the Vikings recently signed free agent guard Dalton Risner, hoping to add him to the starting lineup in the near future.

This trade brings Akers back to O’Connell and Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, both of whom worked with him during their time with the Rams in 2020 and 2021.

Prior to the trade announcement, O’Connell stated, “It’s one of the fun parts of the job when you can visually and collectively as a group identify some things and [say], ‘Let’s go fix them. Let’s go try to do them better and see what that looks like.'”

Since backup Kene Nwangwu suffered a back injury in training camp and went on injured reserve, the Vikings have been seeking depth behind Mattison. In August, they hosted free agent Kareem Hunt for a visit and later signed veteran Myles Gaskin after he was released by the Miami Dolphins during their final roster cuts.

Ty Chandler, a second-year player, has served as Mattison’s backup for the first two games but has only received 19 snaps as a running back. It remains to be seen if Akers will replace Chandler on the depth chart or if the Vikings will push him toward Mattison’s role.

For Akers, this trade ends a period of uncertainty with the Rams. Coach Sean McVay cited “coach’s decision” and the “best interest” of the team as reasons for deactivating Akers last week. In a message posted on X before the Rams’ game against the San Francisco 49ers, Akers expressed confusion but gratitude.

Reflecting on Akers’ social media post, McVay admitted it was surprising and stated that he and Akers had clear communication regarding the decision. This situation with Akers is different from what happened last season, when Akers spent a significant amount of time away from the Rams after the team considered trading him to another franchise for a fresh start. However, McVay did not provide further details.

ESPN’s Sarah Barshop contributed to this story.

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