Cam Akers’ days in Los Angeles are numbered.
Rams head coach Sean McVay said the team is working toward trading the fourth-year running back after making him a healthy scratch in Week 2 against the 49ers.
The team has turned over its starting running back duties to Kyren Williams.
“(General manager) Les (Snead) has talked to a handful of teams and worked with (Akers’ agent) David Mulugheta and seeing if there is some interest for him out there,” McVay said Monday. “That’s the direction we’re headed.”
McVay expressed confidence that a trade will be completed and Akers has played his last snaps with the team.
“That won’t be an opportunity,” McVay said of Akers sticking around. “It will be an opportunity to move … I feel good about the opportunity to be able to move him, but we won’t go back and forth on it.”
The timing of this trade is interesting considering the Rams could have opted to trade Akers before the end of camp, but instead played him in Week 1 and now are cutting bait.
Akers, a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, tallied 22 rushes for 29 yards and one touchdown in the 30-13 win over the Seahawks on Sept. 10.
The Rams then made Akers inactive for Sunday’s 30-23 loss to the 49ers, which surprised the youngster.
Akers posted on X: “I’m just as confused as everybody else. I’m blessed though ????????♂️.”
McVay said they had some good conversations with Akers, but didn’t provide specifics on why the Rams have no more use for Akers.
He called Akers’ comments “suprising.”
“I feel very good about the clarity that was provided to both he and David Mulguheta in terms of why we’re at where we are,” McVay said. “You don’t want to go back and forth on some of the things that have occurred.
“Based on some of the things that we feel like are best, it will be in the best interest to be able to give him an opportunity — and there are some other teams that have expressed interest. It’s a combination of certain things with him, but also some of the things with the confidence we have with Kyren, Ronnie Rivers, Zach Evans … There are a lot of layers to it, but I feel very good about the dialogue that’s existed.”
The Rams and Akers have had a rocky relationship at times with the team previously attempting to trade him before last year’s trade deadline, only for Akers to stick around.
The 24-year-old spent time away from the time as they attempted to trade him.
Akers rushed for a career-best 786 yards and added a career-high seven touchdowns last season, and seemingly entered this year as the Rams’ top backfield option.
Instead, he lasted just one game before the team entrusted the lead duties to Williams.
Williams has rushed for 52 yards in each game thus far, along with three rushing scores.
McVay praised Akers for his contributions over the years.
“He did a lot of really good things,” McVay said of Akers’ Rams tenure. “I think Cam is a quality player. Sometimes, it boils down to is it a fit. What are some of the best opportunities based on putting together what you think is the best way to circumvent or be able to organize your team.
“This isn’t an indictment on any individual. I really care a lot about Cam and I’m appreciative of some of the challenging things we’ve gone through and where we ended up getting to in terms of our relationship and our ability to communicate clearly, which is why it’s tough for me to hear there is confusion.
“I wish him nothing but the best. He’s got a lot of ability.”
This potential trade comes as several teams could be in need for running back help.
Cleveland starter Nick Chubb suffered a season-ending gruesome injury Monday night, and the Ravens lost J.K. Dobbins for the year in Week 1.
The Giants will be without Saquon Barkley for several weeks, the Colts are dealing with the Jonathan Taylor drama, there’s no timeline for Austin Ekeler’s return to the Chargers and the Vikings are receiving little to no production from their backs.