The NFL trade deadline is just days away, and Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers is most assuredly on the block. Akers was a healthy scratch in Week 6 and won’t play today, and head coach Sean McVay has admitted the Rams have discussed the 2020 second-round pick with other teams. If Akers does get traded, where are his best landing spots?
Best Landing Spots for Rams RB Cam Akers
Akers won’t command much on the trade market if he does get moved. By talking so publicly about Akers’ non-involvement with the team, Los Angeles has already sacrificed any leverage it may have held. Additionally, they included Akers in their offer for Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported.
If the Rams don’t trade Akers by Tuesday’s deadline, there’s a good chance they’ll simply release him. Thus, rival clubs know they can wait and attempt to claim him off waivers.
On top of that, Akers hasn’t been productive since returning from a July 2021 Achilles tear. It’s not simply the injury that’s held him back, either. In addition to a loss of burst, Akers has also displayed poor vision in the Rams’ run game.
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He’s the NFL’s worst back in rushing yards over expectation per attempt, per Next Gen Stats. Injuries have decimated LA’s offensive line and forced backups into the starting lineup, but Akers isn’t even getting what’s blocked.
The Jaguars received a conditional 2023 sixth-round pick in exchange for running back James Robinson, but it’s hard to imagine the Rams getting that for Akers. Los Angeles will likely take whatever it can get for an RB no longer in their plans, even if that’s a future late-round pick swap.
Let’s go around the league and highlight teams that could show interest in Akers.
Los Angeles Chargers
Akers could conceivably stay in Los Angeles and land with the Chargers, who already employ one former Rams running back in Sony Michel. The Bolts have been able to keep Austin Ekeler’s snap count under control through six games, but they could still use another option in the backfield.
Michel is Ekeler’s current backup, and he handled 13 snaps to Ekeler’s 55 in Week 7. Fourth-round rookie Isaiah Spiller, a healthy scratch in every game until last week, took just four snaps, but the Chargers likely view him as Ekeler’s long-term No. 2. Still, Akers could add another dimension to this year’s LA backfield.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are always on the hunt for value. Philadelphia offered a third or fourth-round pick to Carolina for McCaffrey, per Breer, who added Howie Roseman and Co. “like to investigate pretty much everything” happening on NFL rosters.
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Although the Eagles are analytically-inclined and won’t place much value on a running back, they could be interested in Akers at an extremely discounted price. Miles Sanders is a free agent at the season’s end, while Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott haven’t done much with their touches.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers aren’t competing for anything this season, but they could look at Akers as a long-term play. After trading McCaffrey, Carolina has turned its backfield over to D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard, the latter of whom will miss Week 8 with an ankle injury.
Foreman is scheduled to hit free agency in March. While the Panthers could aim to re-sign the 26-year-old (especially if he performs well over the rest of the season), Akers could give them another choice. Carolina wouldn’t have to sacrifice any of the valuable trade capital they just picked up for CMC to land a lottery ticket like Akers.
Denver Broncos
With Javonte Williams and Mike Boone both on injured reserve, the Broncos are using veterans Melvin Gordon and Latavius Murray as their lead backs. Akers could represent an improvement over that group for the rest of the season.
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Next season, he could slide in as Williams’ backup. Akers will hardly solve Denver’s offensive woes, but he could be an affordable option as a No. 2 running back so that the Broncos don’t have to rely on street free agents again.
Baltimore Ravens
J.K. Dobbins is already on IR, and Gus Edwards left Thursday night’s game with a hamstring injury. We haven’t heard an update on Edwards’ status, but if he’ll be sidelined, Baltimore could use another running back.
The Ravens like to use RB committees, so Akers could see snaps in a rotation with Kenyan Drake and Justice Hill. Next season, Drake and Hill will be free agents, while Edwards could be released with minimal dead money. Akers would make sense as a 2023 backup to Dobbins.