Vikings Move On from a Kevin O’Connell Favorite
On Saturday, the Minnesota Vikings officially activated center Ryan Kelly, who had been on IR since the Europe trip with a concussion. To pull that off, the club had to open a roster spot, and Dwight McGlothern, the once-promising corner, was cut. He, however, was re-signed to the practice squad, which required another cut.
Vikings Move On from a Kevin O’Connell Favorite
Running back Cam Akers was on the wrong end of that transaction. The three-time Viking was axed ahead of Sunday’s divisional game against the Packers. Just 11 months ago, he caught the game-clinching pass from Sam Darnold to put Green Bay away.
That’s the unpredictable life in the NFL.
Funny but true: The Vikings traded for Akers during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. That turned into a running gag for Vikings fans, who observed Akers’ offseason moves in order to know where this year’s late-round pick was headed.
Well, Akers became available after the preseason, and the Vikings signed him in September without having to give up any draft capital. Early in the season, when starter Aaron Jones was injured, Akers appeared in three games as a gameday elevation. Those are limited to three per season, and he would have to be signed to the 53-man roster to play another game in purple. The Vikings decided to move on instead.
In his three games this season, the veteran rushed five times for 19 yards, and he failed to haul in his only target in the passing game. He was playing behind Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott.
His highlight play, of course, was the passing touchdown in London, when the former high school quarterback tossed the ball to tight end Josh Oliver on a beautiful trick play.
In 2020, Akers was a promising prospect out of Florida State. The Rams acquired him with a second-round pick to become the new Todd Gurley. Akers registered 625 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his rookie year while showing promise in the passing game.
His sophomore campaign was supposed to be a breakout year, but he suffered a torn Achilles late in the offseason. Only five months later, he was miraculously ready for the playoffs and helped the Rams capture their Super Bowl with offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell.
In the following 2022 season, he was quite solid, but he somehow found himself in Sean McVay’s doghouse and was ultimately traded to the Vikings following Week 2 of the 2023 season. Unfortunately, he suffered another torn Achilles tendon. Still, he bounced back once more and was a reliable backup running back for the Vikings last year once the club swapped another pick for him close to the trade deadline.
Head coach O’Connell said last November, “He really, he does know, kind of the origin of a lot of the things at the base level of our offense, from the standpoint of tracks and reads and where maybe some balls may hit, versus some fronts or movement or things like that. I think he’s a guy that can watch the game and see how we’re being defended, see how certain runs are kind of looking, either on the tablet or in real time, and then he goes out there and he can adjust on the fly.”
In the last offseason, he attempted to enter the New Orleans Saints’ rotation but was cut after the preseason. He’s now back on the market and could help a team with running back woes in the final stretch of the regular season.
Akers is 26 and has played in 21 Vikings games.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.