Benched Rams RB Cam Akers subject of trade talks

Cam Akers' tumultuous time in Los Angeles appears headed for a finale.

The Rams have had trade talks centered around Akers, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday, less than 24 hours after Akers spent Los Angeles' Week 2 loss to the 49ers as a healthy scratch.

Akers was inactive for the game following what Rapoport characterized as a difficult week of practice, leaving him in an uncertain standing with the Rams. Kyren Williams replaced him as the starting running back and will serve in such a role going forward.

"Coach's decision, felt like that was best for our football team," Rams head coach Sean McVay said after Sunday's game. "Felt like Kyren gave us the best opportunity and what Ronnie (Rivers) and Royce (Freeman) had done, so that was the decision that I made."

The development is a disappointing one for those who hoped Akers' strong finish to the 2022 season -- in which he broke 100 rushing yards in each of his final three outings -- would propel him to a fast start in 2023. Instead of seeing Akers sprint out of the gate in the first two weeks, Rams fans watched him average just 1.9 yards per carry in Los Angeles' Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks before sitting out in Week 2.

Admittedly, Williams had a better outing in the season-opening win and appeared to become McVay's preferred back after scoring two touchdowns in Los Angeles' surprising season-opening triumph. Preference shouldn't matter, not in a league in which committee backfields are all the rage, but it apparently had enough of an impact to lead McVay to make Akers inactive on Sunday.

Without Akers, Williams had a similarly productive, but not overwhelmingly positive day Sunday, gaining 52 yards and scoring one rushing touchdown on 14 attempts.