The Los Angeles Rams now have to deal with a brutal injury to their revamped offense before training camp even gets underway. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network first reported that the Rams’ RB1 Cam Akers suffered an Achilles injury while training and is out indefinitely.
#Rams RB Cam Akers suffered a torn Achilles while training, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 20, 2021
Brutal blow for L.A., which loses its leading rusher from last season a week before camp begins.
There’s no question about it, this injury is a huge shot to the Los Angeles Rams for the 2021 season and certainly nothing they wanted to have to deal with after Akers had a very solid rookie season, including rushing for 625 yards and two scores.
With Akers out of the picture, what are the Rams going to do? The remainder of the depth chart at the running back position includes former third-round pick Darrell Henderson who had almost 800 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns last season and a wild card rookie in Jake Funk who figured to be a key special teams guy in his rookie season. Xavier Jones also cracked the Rams’ roster as an undrafted player last year and they have Raymond Calais on the depth chart, too.
Undrafted free agent Otis Anderson also gets a bump here, but the Los Angeles Rams will almost undoubtedly add someone via free agency or trade, but who?
Los Angeles Rams options with Cam Akers out injured
1. Todd Gurley (free agent)
Interestingly enough, Todd Gurley is going to count $8.4 million against the Los Angeles Rams’ salary cap books in 2021 as a dead money hit. Why not try to sign him back now and get at least a little bang for the buck?
Gurley spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons and ran for just 678 yards in 15 games, averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. He still had nine touchdowns for Atlanta and did, to his credit, manage to play in 15 games.
Gurley would not require any compensation in a trade, he is already on the Rams’ books, and he knows the offense as well as the majority of the other players on the roster. He’s still just going to be 27 this season so although there are concerns about his knee (and have been dating back to his days at Georgia) you never know if you’re going to catch lightning in a bottle here.
The fact that Gurley is still available could be somewhat of a godsend for the Rams.
2. Adrian Peterson (free agent)
The Los Angeles Rams may not have the most attractive options available in free agency but one of the biggest names in the league over the last decade-plus is still available.
Adrian Peterson, competing with Frank Gore to be the NFL’s ageless wonder at the most age-restricted position, is still planning on playing this season at the age of 36.
Despite his age, Peterson has played in all but one game over the last three seasons and is averaging six touchdowns per year in that timeframe. He has actually shown some improvement as a receiver in that timeframe as well and he would fit in with Sean McVay’s offensive scheme just fine.
Peterson also played last season in Detroit where he was receiving handoffs from Matthew Stafford, who is obviously now the quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams.
The presence of Darrell Henderson, Jake Funk, and the other young wild card types of players on the Los Angeles Rams’ roster could make an Adrian Peterson acquisition make sense. Not only could Peterson be good for those guys in terms of just watching his work habits (as well as keeping his body in great shape) but he could be an asset to the Rams’ running game.
3. Royce Freeman (Denver Broncos)
The Los Angeles Rams would have to trade for Denver Broncos running back Royce Freeman, but it might be worth whatever late-round pick or fringe roster player it would cost.
Freeman has basically been pushed off the Denver Broncos’ roster due to the team’s drafting of Javonte Williams and signing of Mike Boone in free agency.
With Williams and Boone on board, along with last year’s RB1 Melvin Gordon, Freeman appears to be one of the odd-men out but he will definitely be someone that gets snatched up on waivers. The Los Angeles Rams would have no shot at Freeman on waivers, and he may not even be “waived” until final cuts are made.
The Rams are going to want to get someone up to speed in their offense ASAP.
Freeman could parlay the opportunity in Los Angeles into a new contract after this season. The Rams brought in another former Oregon Duck and Denver Broncos draft pick last year in Justin Hollins and that worked out pretty well for them.
Although the situations are different, the outcome for the Rams may be the same in terms of finding someone on the Broncos’ roster who could help them right now.
Freeman was once the Denver Broncos’ RB1 prior to an ankle injury in his rookie season that paved the way for Phillip Lindsay to seize clear RB1 duties.
Freeman would be an ideal fit for the Rams’ offensive scheme and could really excel with all of the talent around him in that offense. He would be worth a shot and the Broncos may be motivated to try and find him the best situation. There’s not going to be a better one than this.