The Minnesota Vikings will be a new-look team against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. Carson Wentz is the starting quarterback after J.J. McCarthy suffered an ankle injury in Week 2. Jordan Mason will replace Aaron Jones after the veteran was placed on the IR with an injury of his own. In order to fill a roster hole, the Vikings added Cam Akers to the active roster.
Akers played with Minnesota last season, albeit in a smaller role behind Jones. He served as the backup option for Kevin O'Connell throughout the 2024 season. However, he never pushed for a bigger workload based on his lackluster production throughout the year. He is still the backup behind Mason, but he will have a chance to play, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
“Vikings elevated RB Cam Akers and G Henry Byrd to the active roster for Sunday’s game vs. the Bengals,” Schefter said.
Minnesota lost in blowout fashion to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. After the loss, O'Connell and the coaching staff decided to make some serious changes to his offensive personnel. Injuries made his choice a lot easier, but he hopes that the moves help kickstart the Vikings' offense after a slow beginning to the season.
Minnesota added Mason via trade earlier this season. The former San Francisco 49ers running back will serve as the primary option in the ground game. However, Akers is available and ready to go as an emergency option if O'Connell wants a change of pace at running back.
Akers rejoined the Vikings earlier this week after Jones' injury was announced. He gets his first opportunity to play against a poor Bengals defense at home on Sunday. Cincinnati is dealing with injuries of its own, giving Minnesota a good chance to climb to 2-1. If the Vikings win the game and Akers plays a big role, he could earn a spot on the team for the remainder of the season.
