The Houston Texas are trading running back Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings, NFL Network reports.
The Texans are receiving conditional sixth- and seventh-round picks in return from the Vikings, per the report. The conditions on those picks weren’t initially reported.
The arrival of Akers in Minnesota adds depth behind starting running back Aaron Jones, who’s 29 years old and coming off an injury-shortened 2023 campaign with the Green Bay Packers. Jones suffered a hip injury in Minnesota’s Week 5 win over the New York Jets and carried a week-to-week designation through the team’s Week 6 bye.
Jones’ status for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions is unclear. The Vikings also feature third-year pro Ty Chandler in the running-back rotation.
Akers, a fifth-year pro, played six games with the Vikings last season after arriving via trade from the Los Angeles Rams. The Texans signed Akers as a free agent in the offseason, and he entered 2024 as the backup to Joe Mixon.
Akers started two games this season as Mixon was injured. In five total games with the Texans, he tallied 147 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown on 3.7 yards per carry. Mixon returned to Houston’s lineup in Week 6 following a two-week absence with an ankle injury, ultimately making Akers expendable. Dameon Pierce projects to serve as Mixon’s backup moving forward.