Old Vikings Flirtation Suddenly Back on the Table
He’s a ubiquitous name in Minnesota Vikings circles, so his sudden free agency cannot be ignored.
An old Minnesota Vikings flirtation is suddenly an option after a release elsewhere, sparking fresh speculation about a possible move in Minnesota.
That man is Cam Akers, and if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is in the mood, he can rather easily sign him to the regular season roster for RB3 duty.
It won’t even require a trade this time.
Cam Akers’ Release Puts Vikings Back in the Conversation
An old flame is available for Minnesota.
Saints Drop RB Cam Akers
Akers was the odd man out on Monday, as the New Orleans Saints began roster cuts.
USA Today‘s Nick Brinkerhoff wrote Monday, “Cam Akers has been around the NFL block a few times in his career. That doesn’t mean getting released for the first time hurts any less. The New Orleans Saints announced on Monday that they would be releasing the running back as part of their roster cutdown ahead of the regular season.”
“Teams can carry up to 90 players in training camp, but have to reduce their squads to 53 following the preseason. Akers ended up on the wrong side of the numbers game for the first time in his career and wasted no time reacting to the news on social media.”
Instead, New Orleans will roll with running backs Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, Devin Neal, and perhaps Velus Jones Jr.
A Short, Sweet Visit
Akers was not a hot commodity in free agency, living on the open market with no real nibbles from March to June. But on the 13th of that month, Saints boss Mickey Loomis signed Akers, pitting him against the aforementioned Miller, Neal, and Jones Jr. for RB3-RB4
Ten weeks later, Akers failed to win the competition, likely on the outside looking in because of Neal’s youth and upside. New Orleans drafted Neal from Kansas four months ago.
Vikings’ Would-Be Interest
Meanwhile, the Vikings could express interest in Akers. It would not be a bold transaction whatsoever.
In back-to-back regular seasons, when injuries rattled Minnesota’s RB corps, Adofo-Mensah fired off low-risk trades for Akers, onboarding him for the remainder of the season in 2023 and 2024. Akers is now there for the taking sans the necessity of a trade.
Adofo-Mensah can strike in free agency — probably at a low cost — for his man, and place Akers on the depth chart behind RB1 Aaron Jones and RB2 Jordan Mason.
Zavier Scott or Ty Chandler Otherwise?
If Akers is no longer a priority, Minnesota will announce Scott or Chandler as the RB3 on Tuesday, the deadline for roster cuts.
Scott impressed during training camp and at times in the preseason. Most fans and Vikings pundits expect Scott to win the RB3 post.
Chandler, too, is an option, but his pass protection has prompted Minnesota to trade for — you guessed it — Akers in the last two seasons. Akers is a wonderful pass-blocking tailback; Chandler leaves a lot to be desired.
More On Akers
Saints Wire‘s Dylan Sanders added about the release: “Akers has had an unfortunate journey in the NFL and this release is the latest wrinkle in his plans. He was a second-round pick back in the 2020 NFL draft out of the Florida State Seminoles.”
“He has had flashes of that potential, but injuries have kept him from really transforming into a game-changing back. He’s also seen the wildness of business in the NFL. Akers was traded from the Rams, who drafted him, to the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. Minnesota didn’t re-sign him in 2024 but instead traded for him again after he joined the Houston Texans. Now the Saints have let him go.”
Akers turned 26 this summer.
“He has 502 career carries for 2,025 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s not much of a receiving back, but does have 52 catches for 388 yards and four more scores. He’s solid in pass protection as well, which some thought could be his ticket to a roster spot,” Sanders continued.
“The 26-year-old just didn’t do enough this preseason to stand out in what turned into a shockingly tight battle in the Saints running back room. He averaged 2.0 yards per carry on eight rushes, with his longest attempt gaining just four yards.”
Some fans have already joked that the Vikings may wait for Akers to sign with another team before they trade for him in September or October.
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