It finally happened. The Los Angeles Rams made the decision to part ways with fourth-year running back Cam Akers by sending him to the NFC North where he will now be part of the Minnesota Vikings offense. With that said, it's a good time to look over the transaction and dish out grades for the Rams and the Vikings.
Grading the Cam Akers trade
Rams Receive: Conditional 2026 sixth-round pick.
Vikings Receive: RB Cam Akers, conditional 2026 seventh-round pick
Rams Grade: B
For the Rams, it's mostly about unloading Akers off the team. They already shared their true feelings about the former Florida State Seminoles running back when they declared Cam Akers inactive in Week 2's game against the San Francisco 49ers even though he was not nursing any known injury.
The Rams are seemingly happy with handing the reins on the ground to second-year running back Kyren Williams, whose performance in the Niners game, albeit in a loss, perhaps added more reason for the Rams to set out and find a landing spot via a trade for Akers. (Against the 49ers, Williams had 52 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries while also adding 48 receiving yards and a touchdown on six receptions and 10 targets.)
With Cam Akers gone, it's definitely the Kyren Williams Show now for the Rams' rushing attack, with Ronnie Rivers and Zach Evans acting as his backups. If Williams sustains his form and continues to make meaningful contributions consistently, that should make the Rams feel even better about their decision to end their professional partnership with Akers.
The Rams are not getting any immediate help in return for Akers from the Vikings. How that conditional pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft will convey is almost impossible to project.
But it is still better than if Los Angeles just decided to let go of Akers, who is playing in the final season of the four-year contract worth $6.17 million that he signed with the Rams back in 2020. Moreover, not having Akers around anymore seems to be one less distraction for the Rams, as his relationship with head coach Sean McVay has apparently soured.
Vikings Grade: B+
For the Vikings, Cam Akers raises the ceiling of their rushing game. Minnesota is winless through their first two games of the 2023 NFL regular season despite the terrific form of quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The Vikings are moving the chains a lot, as they are eighth in the league with 371.5 total yards per game and third overall with a 50 percent success rate on third-down conversions. However, their ground game has been anemic with Alexander Mattison as their top option in the rushing attack. The Vikings are averaging a paltry 34.5 rushing yards per game. Although that's largely because they don't run the ball as much as the rest of the league (they're last with just a 22.03 percent rush play rate), the Vikings are also only averaging 2.7 yards per carry — worst in the NFL to date as well.
Mattison has just been not as effective as the Vikings envisioned him to be when they handed him the keys to the team's rushing offense following their split with Dalvin Cook in the offseason. Mattison has generated only 62 rushing yards on 19 carries for the Vikings, who, a season ago, were producing 95.7 rushing yards per game — not great, but way better than what they're mustering in 2023, thus far.
Akers should be able to help. Now in a new environment, there is a chance for him to be productive again, even as a backup for Mattison. Given Mattison's struggles, there should also be a shot for Akers to eventually reach the top of the running back pecking order in Minnesota.
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