Over two months ago, the Minnesota Vikings swung a trade for running back Cam Akers with the Houston Texans, an exchange to bolster the purple team’s RB depth.
That Vikings Trade Looks Pretty Fantastic
It was the second year in a row that Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah conducted a trade for Akers.
Fast forward to Week 17 at home against the Green Bay Packers, and Akers hauled in the game-ending reception, a scoop-and-catch for a 1st Down. That was a wrap on the Packers, and Minnesota prevailed 27-25. Kevin O’Connell and Co. are just one win away from homefield advantage throughout the postseason.
Akers was in the game because of an injury to RB1 Aaron Jones, who took a hit in the leg and will nurse a quad contusion this week. It’s unclear if Jones will be ready for the showdown in Detroit — Minnesota needs a healthy Jones in the postseason, above all else — so Akers could experience an increased workload in Week 18.
Still, perhaps for his game-sealing catch as a standalone event, the Akers trade was well worth it. Minnesota could’ve been relegated to the NFC’s No. 5 or 6 seed without it.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling added context to the Akers trade in October: “The Vikings have made exactly the same trade for Cam Akers, with two different teams, in a 13-month span. Last year’s deal with the Rams was the same as today’s with the Texans: Vikings sent a conditional 2026 6th-rounder, in exchange for Akers and a conditional 2026 7th.”
So, at a low cost, Minnesota secured its RB2 for the rest of the way in 2024 — the same guy who came up clutch against the Packers.
The Vikings’ coaching staff loved Akers last year and, in fact, many thought he’d re-sign with the purple team in the summer. ESPN even reported on its Transactions Page that Akers had re-signed, pending a physical.
Akers tore his Achilles in a Vikings win over the Atlanta Falcons last season — the Joshua Dobbs game — his second Achilles tear of his NFL career. He’s bounced back marvelously from the adversity and could even be trusted in a pinch as the RB1.
Akers became a Viking via trade with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 after Alexander Mattison struggled out of the gate. He became an instant “locker room guy” and played quite well as an RB2-RB3. All told, he tabulated 49 touches for 208 yards from scrimmage in 2023.
He’s averaging 4.0 yards per carry in 2024 as a Viking. Akers also scored a touchdown versus the Packers.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.