How the Vikings made a mid-season Cam Akers signing an annual tradition
Runinng back Cam Akers has re-signed to the Minnesota Vikings squad after the team was riddled with injuries - a role with which he’s quite familiar.
For the third year in a row, the Minnesota Vikings have pulled the same move: when the running back room thins out, call Cam Akers.
On Tuesday, the team re-signed the 26-year-old back after Aaron Jones went down with a hamstring injury in Week 2. With Ty Chandler and fullback C.J. Ham already on injured reserve, Minnesota was desperate for depth. And once again, the solution was to reunite with a player who’s become almost as familiar as the team’s purple uniforms.
How many times have the Vikings called on Akers mid-season?
The history here is almost comical.
- 2023: Minnesota traded for Akers after his falling out with the Rams. He flashed in limited action before tearing his Achilles.
- 2024: After signing with Houston, Akers was shipped back to Minnesota midseason and finished the year as the primary backup behind Jones.
- 2025: Waived by the Saints this summer, Akers is back again, just two weeks into the season.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell has never been shy about his affinity for Akers, dating back to their shared time in Los Angeles. He’s praised the running back’s resilience through injuries and the energy he brings to the locker room. That familiarity makes him an easy fit whenever Minnesota finds itself short-handed.
This time, Akers joins a backfield led by recent trade acquisition Jordan Mason, who’s expected to handle starting duties while Jones recovers. Still, with Jones sidelined and little proven depth behind Mason, Akers could quickly carve out meaningful snaps, even as soon as this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The running back carousel in Minnesota has been a headache for fans, but Akers’ annual midseason arrival has become something of a bizarre tradition. For a team fighting through early adversity, maybe that familiarity will bring stability.
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