The Vikings appear to have suffered a season-ending injury on offense for the second straight week.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell indicated (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network) that running back Cam Akers is feared to have suffered an Achilles tear.
That would mark the second such injury to befall Minnesota in as many weeks, with Kirk Cousins being lost for the year in Week 8. Of course, confirmation of the initial fear would mark the second time in Akers’ career that he tore his Achilles. As a result, Sunday’s news marks a major blow to both team and player.
Akers tore his Achilles in the summer of 2021, an injury which derailed his second season with the Rams. Expectations were high for him entering that campaign, given the fact he had established himself as the team’s lead back.
While the Florida State product later returned to full health and had stretches of strong play, his tenure in Los Angeles did not come to an end on good terms.
Mentioned in trade speculation in 2022, Akers was retained for the rest of that season and stayed in place as part of the Rams’ backfield to begin the current campaign.
He found himself a healthy scratch and buried behind Kyren Williams on the depth chart, however, so it came as no surprise that a trade partner was found this time around. Akers was dealt to the Vikings in September.
That trade — which included a swap of Day 3 picks in 2026 — gave Akers an opportunity to see a more consistent workload in advance of reaching free agency for the first time.
The 24-year-old saw only 11 carries in his first three games in Minnesota, as the team kept up its commitment to Alexander Mattison atop the depth chart. However, Akers saw 27 carries in the past three games, carving out an RB2 role for himself along the way.
He posted 113 rushing yards (at a rate of 3.8 per carry) and one touchdown during his brief time before going down with what is likely another massive injury.
Presuming further tests confirm the worst-case scenario, Akers’ free agent stock will take a hit. The former second-rounder was already in line for a less-than-stellar market for himself given his performances, injury history and the nature of the RB position.
A second Achilles tear would hinder his earning power for 2024 and beyond even further, though, and threaten his availability for the start of next season.
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