Vikings Could Run It Back with a 3-Time Viking
On Monday, after the NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks said goodbye to veteran running back Cam Akers. The multi-time Vikings runner is back on the open market and can choose his next employer. Though Minnesota has a solid running back group, it would hardly be surprising to see him wear the purple colors in 2026.
The Seahawks announced a couple of days after the conclusion of the draft, “The Seahawks released running back Cam Akers on Monday. The move frees up a roster space following a draft in which the Seahawks added eight players, meaning Seattle now has 82 players on their roster not including undrafted rookie free agents, who will sign prior to the start of this week’s rookie minicamp.”
Akers was clearly a victim of Seattle’s draft haul, which included first-round pick Jadarian Price. The running back is supposed to compensate for the departure of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs last month.
The Seahawks still have a deep running back room. Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta wrote, “The release of Akers leaves the Seahawks with six running backs on the roster — Jadarian Price, Zach Charbonnet, George Holani, Kenny McIntosh, Jacardia Wright and free agent signee Emanuel Wilson.”
Charbonnet is recovering from a torn ACL suffered late last season, but he’s expected to return at some point early in 2026, if not for Week 1. Emmanuel Wilson was a free agency signing after a strong backup season in Green Bay.
Akers leaves Seattle with a second Super Bowl ring. He had already won one with the Los Angeles Rams in February of 2022 with Kevin O’Connell as his offensive coordinator. That connection has helped Akers get some work in recent years and his returns to Minnesota have actually become quite the funny storyline.
Once a promising second-rounder of the Rams, Akers suffered a torn Achilles tendon in 2021, but returned in record time for the playoff run. A couple of years later, he landed in Sean McVay’s doghouse and the Vikings acquired him for a late-round pick.
Akers was solid in his first year in Minnesota, playing a rotational role. Unfortunately, another torn Achilles tendon cost him the second half of the season. He then moved on to Houston. Once again, the Vikings traded for the experienced back in 2024 in an attempt to upgrade the RB2 spot behind Aaron Jones. Indeed, he provided valuable depth.
Last year, Akers was cut by the Saints in August and the Vikings added him to the practice squad. He was a three-time gameday call-up, but those are limited to three per player. Given the choice to add him to the 53-man roster or to cut him and add someone who might actually contribute, the club opted for the divorce. The most memorable play from his third time in the Twin Cities was a passing touchdown on a trick play against the Cleveland Browns in London.
In November, the Seahawks, led by quarterback Sam Darnold, signed him to their practice squad. He suited up for the Seahawks four times, including in one postseason game, but didn’t carry the ball.
The Vikings could now re-sign Akers, further adding to his Vikings resume. He certainly remains an O’Connell-favorite.
The head coach said in 2024, “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.”
It’s noteworthy, though, that Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones return in the top roles, with rookie Demond Claiborne providing some speed and youth. Depth runner Zavier Scott is still around. The Vikings liked him more than Akers last year and there’s no reason to believe that has changed.
Akers will turn 27 in June.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.