It’s time for the Minnesota Vikings to release Cam Akers in 2023.
Minnesota Vikings running back Cam Akers deserves more touches in the future
Alexander Mattison has been a major disappointment as the Minnesota Vikings’ best player.
Now is the time for the team to give Cam Akers a bigger role on offense.
A few weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings decided to make a low-risk move and trade with the Los Angeles Rams to acquire a disgruntled Cam Akers.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell worked with Akers with the Rams in 2020 and 2021, so he didn’t think Minnesota would be a difficult transition for the running back.
So far, Akers has been very effective whenever he has the opportunity to play with the football in hand.
He averaged 5.7 yards per rush attempt, had a 63.6% completion percentage per carry and caught all five receiving targets (100% catch rate).
Yes, it’s a small sample size, but compared to other Vikings under Alexander Mattison, Minnesota’s offense has been much more successful when Akers has the ball.
Through six games this season, Mattison is averaging 3.9 yards per carry, has a 46.3 completion percentage and has caught just 64.3 percent of his 28 receiving targets.
Akers has been with the Vikings for about a month, and it’s time for the team to give him more points than the 5.3 points he averaged in three games against Minnesota this year.
Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers will be a great time for the Minnesota Vikings to give Cam Akers more exposure on the offensive side of the ball.
The Vikings’ upcoming Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers is a great opportunity for Akers to get more involved in the offense.
The 24-year-old running back has a better idea of what to expect from the 49ers’ defense, having faced them five times during his time with the Rams.
O’Connell said several times last offseason that he wants Minnesota’s rushing attack to be more efficient before the 2023 season, and current numbers show Akers is more likely to be on the field than Mattison.
So instead of convincing themselves that Mattison has what it takes to be a legitimate No. 1 player in the NFL, the Vikings should face the music and admit they made a mistake with the veteran running back.
It’s okay to make mistakes.
That’s always the case in the NFL.
But at least Minnesota can quickly make up for their bad decisions by making Akers a bigger part of the offense.
