Vikings' RB Crisis? Familiar Face Returns! Cam Akers Back Again!

The Minnesota Vikings are facing an injury onslaught early in the 2025 season, and their running back situation has become particularly dire. With Ty Chandler already sidelined and Aaron Jones likely out for Sunday's game against the Bengals due to a hamstring strain, the Vikings were left with only two healthy running backs on the active roster: Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott.

Enter a familiar face: Cam Akers! The Vikings are reportedly signing Akers to bolster their depleted running back corps. The news broke in an unconventional manner, thanks to a Vikings fan working at the airport who spotted Akers and shared a selfie on Twitter, effectively breaking the news before any official announcement. KSTP (Ch. 5) later verified the signing.

Why Akers?

The Vikings' need for a reliable running back is clear. Jordan Mason is expected to start, but Zavier Scott, who spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons on practice squads and made his NFL debut just last Sunday, is currently the only backup. Relying solely on Scott is a risky proposition, especially with the potential for further injuries.

Akers provides experience and familiarity with the Vikings' system. Although the details of his contract are not yet public, his return offers a much-needed solution to the team's immediate running back shortage.

What to Expect

It remains to be seen how quickly Akers can get up to speed and contribute. However, his familiarity with the team should allow him to integrate relatively quickly. The Vikings will likely ease him into the rotation, giving him opportunities to prove his worth and help stabilize the running game.

The Vikings worked out other free agents today, but ultimately decided on bringing back Akers. This marks another chapter in the ongoing saga of the Vikings' running back woes and Akers' on-again, off-again relationship with the team.