Los Angeles Rams coach explains ruthless exit of Cam Akers from team

23 September 2023 , 17:59

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Cam Akers was traded by the Los Angeles Rams to the Minnesota Vikings (Image: Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay says the exit of running back Cam Akers was in the best interest of the team.

Last week news emerged that Akers had been left out of the gameday roster for the Rams game in Week Two of the NFL season against the San Francisco 49ers. Akers had been the starting running back in Week One and scored a touchdown.

A few days later, on September 20, it was confirmed that Akers had been traded to the Minnesota Vikings. After being drafted by the Rams in 2020 as the No.52 overall pick, Akers’ time in California came to an end as he made the switch to Minneapolis.

Part of the trade saw the Vikings send a conditional sixth-round pick for the 2026 NFL Draft. In exchange, Minnesota received a conditional seventh-round pick for 2026 as well as Akers.

As things stand, Akers is currently fourth on the Vikings depth chart for running backs. He will be competing alongside Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler and Myles Gaskin to be on the field for the Vikings this season.

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McVay was asked about the trade of Akers to the Vikings soon after it was announced. The Rams head coach admitted it was not an easy call to trade Akers, but added that he took the decision what he thought would be the best for the franchise long-term.

“Sometimes you have to be able to make tough decisions and I’m very grateful for the things that Cam did over the course of his career,” McVay said.

“I’m always going to make decisions that I think are in the best interest of the football team and that’s not a personal indictment on him. He’s a very good player, did a lot of really good things. Sometimes you’re looking at the situation for him and for our team and we felt like Minnesota was excited.

“He knows [Vikings coach] Kevin [O’Connell], he knows [Vikings offensive coordinator] Wes [Phillips], [Vikings quarterbacks coach] Chris O’Hara, [Vikings assistant inside linebackers coach] Thad Bogardus is there, [Vikings vice-president of player health and performance] Tyler Williams, so there’ll be some comfortability and some familiarity there and so feel good and I wish him nothing but the best.”

Following the exit of Akers, the Rams will now have Kyren Williams as the starting running back. Ronnie Rivers and Zach Evans are the other two running backs on the Rams depth chart as things stand.

Mark Wakefield