Cam Akers was supposed to be the next Todd Gurley to Jared Goff. But after the Rams agreed to trade Goff to the Lions, Akers will be aligned behind a different quarterback moving forward: Matthew Stafford.
Akers was shocked by the fact that the Rams actually traded Goff, a move he certainly wasn’t expecting to happen.
“It definitely was a shocker to me,” Akers told Forbes.com. “I wasn’t expecting a trade.”
Akers only got to spend one season with Goff and he had success in the starting role once he earned it. The rookie rushed for 625 yards on 145 carries this season, with another 221 yards and two touchdowns coming in the postseason.
Stafford hasn’t had much help at running back throughout his career, something that should change in Los Angeles. In 166 games with the Lions, Stafford only had a 100-yard rusher 11 times. Akers had two 100-yard games alone this season, for comparison.
The former Florida State running back is excited about Stafford joining the mix, saying he’ll be “a great asset” to the offense.
“I think he’ll definitely be a great asset to the offense,” Akers said. “He has a strong arm, he’s a leader and he’s a playmaker. At the quarterback position you need all those three characteristics to be successful, and he wants a Super Bowl.”
Stafford isn’t officially a member of the Rams yet, since the trade can’t be processed until March 17 when the new league year begins. But he’s already boosted the Rams’ Super Bowl chances from ninth-best to third-best, behind only the Packers and Chiefs.