The Los Angeles Rams have made a surprising move, trading running back Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings, according to the reliable source Adam Schefter. In this deal, the two teams are swapping 2026 draft picks, sealing the agreement.
Trade: Rams are sending RB Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings for a swap of 2026 draft picks, per sources. pic.twitter.com/d79HmNT00u
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 20, 2023
Akers had been sidelined in the previous week, signaling a change in his status as the Rams’ primary runner. Kyren Williams stepped in and showcased strong performances early in the season, filling Akers’ shoes effectively. Minnesota, on the other hand, faced changes in their running back situation after allowing Dalvin Cook to leave in the recent offseason. Alexander Mattison took over as the starter but hasn’t performed up to expectations.
Akers had a strong finish to the last season, showcasing his ability with over 100 yards rushing in the final three games and a remarkable three-touchdown performance in one of them. However, disagreements regarding his usage in the past created some tension between Akers and the Rams, leading to him being inactive during Weeks 6, and 7 of the previous season.
Looking ahead, the Vikings are expected to integrate Akers into their running back rotation alongside Mattison, with the goal of determining who performs better to lead the team. This trade also means Ty Chandler, Mattison’s former backup, will now have to take on an even more secondary role.
Rams Trading Cam Akers to Vikings: Salary Cap Implications
According to Spotrac, the Rams were able to free up $1.29 million in cap space by trading Akers to the Vikings. The Vikings are now responsible for the remainder of Akers’ contract that expires after this season. However, due to bonuses and upfront salaries, the Rams do have a dead cap of $673,683. Even so, they still end up saving $1.29 million.
#NFL TRADE#Vikings Acquire
– RB Cam Akers
– 2026 7th round pick#Rams Acquire
– 2026 6th round pickAkers brings a 1 year, $1.29M contract with him to Minnesota, leaving behind $673,683 of dead cap to Los Angeles.https://t.co/GbgmgQ9BH4
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 20, 2023
Looking ahead, since Akers’ contract is set to conclude this year, there won’t be any cap advantage for the Rams in 2024 since he wouldn’t have been under contract anyway. The trade involved a 2026 pick swap, which might seem modest considering Akers was a former second-round pick.
However, the Rams made this move because they no longer saw a fitting spot for Akers on their roster and valued the immediate cap relief over the future draft pick.