Cam Akers had a bizarre 2022 season, to say the least. He appeared poised to be the starter in Week 1 but was relegated to a backup role early in the year, taking a backseat to Darrell Henderson Jr.
Then he and the Rams had a dispute, resulting in Akers taking time away from the team for a few weeks, missing two games and a few weeks of practice. The Rams shockingly cut Henderson in late November, which opened the door for Akers to take back his starting role.
Once he did, he looked like the explosive and dynamic back so many people expected him to be in 2022. In his final seven starts, Akers rushed for 549 yards and six touchdowns, with 345 of those yards coming in the final three games alone.
Matthew Stafford didn’t get to play with Akers during that impressive stretch, but he saw the third-year running back excel in the Rams offense and he expects him to build off that in 2023. “It was an interesting perspective being on the sideline at the end of the year watching him. I thought he did an unbelievable job setting the tone in the run game for us,” Stafford said this week. “He was running physical, making big plays, doing all the things we really needed him to do. Looking for him to continue to build off of that. Obviously he had a massive injury the year before and was able to get himself back there late, but I think you talk to guys that have had those injuries, it’s the more time the better. You’d love to see that surge at the end of the year continue into this year, and that’s going to take hard work. I’ve been in here working out on and off for a while now. I see him every time I’m in here so that’s a good thing for me to see.”
Akers no longer has the threat of Henderson behind him, and even though Kyren Williams is on the roster, the Rams didn’t exactly use him much last season as a rookie. This should be Akers’ backfield in 2023 and now that he’s another year removed from his torn Achilles, he could be in for a big year.
Akers himself is looking to have a big season and help the team exceed expectations, so he’s been putting in the work and trying to be the best version of himself that he can be.
“Just making sure I do my part,” Akers said this week. “Obviously it’s my fourth year, contract year, big year for me personally, so just making sure I do whatever I need to do to be at my best for this team and for myself. That’s why you’ve been seeing me here. You’re going to continue to see me here.”
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