Getty The Los Angeles Rams might not see Cam Akers suit up for them anymore.
The Los Angeles Rams made headlines when it was reported that running back Cam Akers would be inactive for Sunday’s Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers for unknown reasons.
After a frustrating start to the season for the entire Rams team, it looks like changes are coming in the running back room.
In Week 1, Akers’ usage was stunningly low, although head coach Sean McVay uttered confidence in his running back time and time again despite fumbles and poor performances.
Against the Bills in Week 1, Akers had three carries for zero yards. In Week 2, he had 15 carries for 44 yards and then another 12 carries for 61 yards and a score in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons.
It has been a roller-coaster ride for the Rams running backs all year long, although Akers never got rolling as he did back in 2020.
Rams Taking Trade Calls on Cam Akers: Report
After McVay announced that Akers would be inactive for the Panthers game, rumors began to swirl. Then, on Sunday morning, October 16, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirmed what most people had been thinking: A trade is imminent for the Rams’ top draft pick in 2020.
If the situation continues as it has so far this season, Rams former starting running back Cam Akers has played his last down with the team.
Sources say Akers, who is out today due to what was described as personal reasons, has philosophical and football-related differences with head coach Sean McVay. The coach has left Akers’ future open, and sources say the third-year pro could be on the way out.
The belief is that he’ll draw significant trade interest, and the team is open to a deal for the right value.
So, there it is. The Rams are expected to take trade calls on Akers, and this comes days after McVay said they are “working through things”.
Darrell Henderson is the starter, and rookie Ronnie Rivers was activated to the 53-man roster, while Malcolm Brown is expected to be the backup to Henderson.
What Will Akers’ Market Look Like?
To be honest, we have no clue what Akers’ trade market entails. At times, he looks every bit like a superstar running back.
But, 2022 hasn’t gone well for him, although the Rams offense as a whole has failed to live up to their potential as we saw from last season.
From @NFLGameDay: The #Rams are expected to field calls for RB Cam Akers and could trade him before the deadline, while the #AZCardinals are severely short-handed at RB today.
Still, Akers is just 23 years old and won’t turn 24 until June, so a young RB might be an enticing piece for teams that need RBs. A few teams that come to mind are the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rapoport mentioned that Akers’ decreasing role has been a concern for him, which is understandable, so maybe a starting gig makes sense for him.
The market might not be very robust for Akers, especially because NFL teams can just wait around for the Rams to cut him and essentially get him for free.
Nonetheless, the former Florida State RB might have played his last snap for the Rams in a stunning turn of events. The next few weeks will be interesting to see where Akers goes next.