With Joe Mixon set to lead the Houston Texans’ backfield, it seemed Dameon Pierce would be the primary backup. However, on Sunday, the Texans announced the signing of former Vikings running back Cam Akers, as reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston.
Akers, a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, had moderate success with the Rams and earned a Super Bowl ring in 2022. That season, he rushed for 786 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
Despite this, Akers has never started more than nine games in a season. Last year, he tore his Achilles while playing for the Vikings and appeared in only seven games. After being traded from the Rams to Minnesota, Akers carried the ball 38 times for 138 yards and one touchdown. The trade involved swapping 2026 draft picks, with the Vikings sending a conditional sixth-round pick in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick and Akers.
Texans take a shot on well-traveled RB Akers
When the Rams traded Akers to Minnesota, Coach Sean McVay told SI.com that he struggled with the decision.
“I’m always going to make decisions that are in the best interest of our football team,” McVay said. “I have tremendous respect for Cam Akers, but I felt like for our football team today and in this game and as we move forward, that was going to be the best decision for us.”
Also competing in the Texans’ backfield are Dare Ogunbowale and Jawhar Jordan. There was speculation about the Texans possibly moving on from Pierce and including him in a deal to improve the running back room. According to a ClutchPoints story, “maybe Houston’s front office is on the ball and snaps up the first quality backup running back that doesn’t survive some other team’s 53-man roster cut.”
The Vikings reportedly considered bringing Akers back, depending on his recovery. However, the veteran runner remained unsigned, and Houston made the deal. The health issue is significant since Akers has suffered Achilles tears in both legs. The first one occurred in 2021, limiting him to one game with five carries for three yards. He bounced back with a solid 2022 season.
However, his per-carry average dropped from 4.2 in 2022 to 2.8 last season.
The Texans had previously brought in Deon Jackson and Miyan Williams for workouts but ultimately liked what they saw from Akers.
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