National Football League

Rams RB Cam Akers' future with team uncertain after Week 2 benching

Published Sep. 18, 2023 12:57 p.m. ET

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Cam Akers seems to be on borrowed time with the Los Angeles Rams. 

The running back was a healthy scratch for the Rams' loss to the 49ers on Sunday, and FOX Sports' Jay Glazer has reported that the team has offered Akers in potential trades. Akers, who started in Week 1, had a difficult week of practice ahead of Week 2, making Kyren Williams the starter and leaving Akers' spot on the roster uncertain, NFL Media reported Monday.

Rams coach Sean McVay added credence to the reports when he spoke to reporters following the Rams' loss.

"I'm always going to make decisions that I think are in the best interest of our football team," McVay said about the decision to not play Akers on Sunday. "I have tremendous respect for Cam Akers, but I felt like for our football team today and in this game and as we move forward, that was going to be the best decision for us."

Akers, meanwhile, seemed confused about the report.

"I'm just as confused as everybody else. I'm blessed though," Akers wrote in a social media post, adding a shrugging emoji. 

Akers and the Rams have had a rocky relationship. After he returned to the team five months following an Achilles tear in 2021 to help them win a Super Bowl, Akers assumed his role as the team's starting running back at the start of the 2022 season. But he only had three carries in Week 1 last year and had a fluctuating number of carries in the following weeks before he left the team ahead of Week 6.

Akers remained away from the team for three weeks in 2022, eventually rejoining the Rams after they couldn't find a trade they liked ahead of the deadline. He finished the 2022 season strong, rushing for 100-plus yards in each of the last three games. He finished the year with 786 rushing yards on 4.2 yards per carry with seven touchdowns.

Akers' reemergence appeared to smooth things out between the 24-year-old running back and the team. 

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"He's really capitalized on a lot of the momentum he built up toward the latter part of the year. And he's going to be a huge part of what we're doing moving forward," McVay said of Akers in an interview with SiriusXM in June. "He's had a great offseason. I love the rapport that he's established with Ron Gould, our new running backs coach. 

"Cam is going to be a central figure in this offense. I think he's priming himself to have a great year. … Cam is a stud. He's taking great care of himself physically, he's in a good place mentally. Just continuing to mature, and I'm really excited about what he's going to do for us this year."

Akers struggled in the Rams' season-opening win, rushing for just 29 yards on 22 carries, but he did score a touchdown. Williams rushed for 52 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns in Akers' place on Sunday. No other Rams running back recorded a carry against the 49ers. 

The Rams selected Akers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He had a solid rookie season, rushing for 625 yards on 4.3 yards per carry over 13 games, splitting duties with Darrell Henderson. Following his promising rookie season, Akers tore his Achilles during a summer workout ahead of the 2021 season, keeping him sidelined until Week 18.

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NFL - San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams - 09/17/2023