Cam Akers tears Achilles, Rams face more challenges to contend
Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers suffered a torn Achilles, which ends his 2021 season before it begins.
The Los Angeles Rams were expected to be a contender to win the Super Bowl and now have to face that challenge without running back Cam Akers. While training for the upcoming season, the second-year back out of Florida State suffered a torn Achilles, as reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
This is a major setback for the Rams organization, who essentially went all in this offseason intending to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium. This year, the big game will be played in Los Angeles and the Rams, before this injury, looked like they had the personnel to do it.
Los Angeles made the big trade for Matthew Stafford by sacrificing draft capital and the contract of Jared Goff, with the intent that better quarterback play, combined with a young and hungry team, would bring promising results. Now, without Akers, the Rams are left with a huge hole in their backfield and questions of who will take his place.
The Los Angeles Rams are still a Super Bowl contender, but not having Cam Akers makes the task more difficult.
Last season, Akers only ran for 625 yards and two touchdowns while having one receiving touchdown, but he was mostly a late bloomer. Akers had a breakout performance against the New England Patriots with 171 yards on 29 carries, helping the Rams avenge their Super Bowl LIII defeat to the Patriots.
Against Seattle in the Wild Card round, Akers helped the Rams hand Russell Wilson his first-ever home playoff loss after rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown while catching two passes for 45 yards in a 30–20 win. The season ended a week later against Green Bay, though Akers ran for 90 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
5 NFL teams who will disappoint fans in 2021. dark. Next
Where Los Angeles chooses to go from here remains to be seen, but they have a hole in their backfield that they must replace for the season. Best wishes to Cam Akers on a speedy and healthy recovery.