The Minnesota Vikings will have several new faces lining up on both sides of the ball next season.
However, one familiar face is hoping for a reunion with the organization at some point this offseason. Free agent running back Cam Akers spent last season with the Vikings, who acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams.
Akers suffered a torn Achilles in Week 9 last season.
“I’m walking in to practice the other day on the TCO Stadium turf, … There’s Cam Akers, working out,” Darren Wolfson said on “Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd” on June 11.
“There’s a reason why he’s staying in town, right? He wants to re-sign with the Vikings. Now, hey, they can tell us all they want about Ty Chandler looking good. Aaron Jones, yes, he does look good. Is there room for another running back? I guess we can have the debate about what Ty Chandler’s ceiling is.
“I’m just telling you, Cam Akers is hopeful. There hasn’t been any movement yet. But Cam Akers is staying here in town for a reason. He wants to remain with the Vikings. Free agent, so he’s doing his rehab at Training Haus, right next to the Vikings facility.”
A second-round pick by the Rams in 2020 (No. 52 overall), Akers finished the 2023 season with the Vikings.
He rushed for 138 yards and one touchdown on 38 attempts.
Akers won the 2021 Super Bowl with the Rams. But his best season came in when he had 786 yards and seven touchdowns on 188 carries. He has also dealt with injuries for the duration of his career.
Cam Akers Must Overcome Lengthy Injury History
Listed at 5-foot-10 and 217 pounds, Akers has logged double-digit games just twice – first as a rookie in 2020 and then again in 2022.
A similar injury to the other leg nearly cost him that run to the Super Bowl.
“Akers tore his right Achilles tendon in an offseason workout before the 2021 season with the Rams and made a remarkably fast recovery to return in less than six months for the playoffs for the eventual Super Bowl champions,” The Associated Press reported via Fox Sports in November 2023.
Even if Akers is back to full strength, his injury history suggests relying on him to handle a significant workload is a risky endeavor. The Vikings do not have to do that, with Chandler and especially Jones in place to handle the bulk of the carries.
With fullback C.J. Ham capable of handling some of the short-yardage duties, the Vikings would not need Akers to do much more than provide a spark in a change-of-pace role.
He has some receiving skills with 38 receptions for 132 yards and one touchdown in his career.
Cam Akers Could Help Vikings Rejuvenate Running Game
The Vikings finished last season ranked 29th in rushing yards, dropping two spots from the 2022 season. It is their worst finish since the 2018 season when Dalvin Cook battled injuries and finished second on the team in carries behind Latavius Murray.
Their only finish worse than that since 2010 was in 2016 when Adrian Peterson tore his meniscus in Week 2 and missed the next 12 weeks (11 games).
Jones dealt with injuries last season too, making 11 appearances.
He has also been at his best when splitting the workload in the backfield, so a 1-2 punch with Chandler could be in the best interest of Jones and the Vikings. The Vikings also have DeWayne McBride, Kene Nwangwu, and Myles Gaskin on the roster.
The Vikings have often featured a strong running game, with multiple top-10 finishes in yards on the ground since 2010. It has historically been a featured-back system.
But they need their committee to step up with a remade quarterback room.
