Quarterback Sam Darnold’s return to Minnesota already felt like a referendum on the Vikings’ quarterback choices, and now the Seattle Seahawks are doubling down on giving him help.

As Darnold prepares to face the team that let him walk after a 14-win 2024 season, Minnesota is stumbling through life with an injured, turnover-prone J.J. McCarthy and a 4-7 record. What was once framed as a bold transition to the future now looks like a painful reminder of what they gave up, just as Darnold leads an 8-3 Seattle team into their building.

Into that backdrop comes another familiar NFC name. As first reported by Jordan Schultz, the Seahawks are signing veteran running back Cam Akers to their active roster after a short stint with the Vikings earlier this season.

Still only 26, Akers reunites with a few old NFC West foes and gives Seattle another experienced option in a backfield that has taken a lot of punishment through 11 games.

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For the Seahawks, this is all about margin. Darnold has been efficient and aggressive, pushing the ball to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the rest of Seattle’s weapons, but Pete Carroll knows January football usually tilts toward who can run, protect the ball, and close out tight games.

Akers has ridden the roller coaster of injuries and role changes with the Rams and Vikings, yet he has also shown stretches of burst, vision, and pass-game value that make him an intriguing depth piece behind Seattle’s current rotation.

He walks into a locker room that has started to believe it can do more than just sneak into the postseason, and the vibes are strong. Smith-Njigba even joked after torching the Titans that the Seahawks are now 2-0 when he shows up in a cowboy hat on game day, a good-luck charm he hinted fans may see again. His 167 yards and two scores in that game only reinforced how dangerous this offense can be when everything clicks.

Now Seattle adds a former second-round back hungry to prove he still belongs in that conversation. If Akers can give Darnold just a bit more balance and punch on the ground, the Seahawks’ revenge game in Minnesota could be another step in a season that keeps stretching beyond anyone’s expectations.