How did the Vikings manage to acquire Cam Akers twice via trade?

The Minnesota Vikings got a glimpse of life without Aaron Jones in the second half of their Week 5 win over the New York Jets in London.

The Vikings wasted little time shoring up their running back depth behind Jones coming out of their bye week, enacting a plan called: Exactly what we did last year.

Minnesota has reportedly traded for Cam Akers for the second consecutive season. The Vikings are sending a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2026 to the Houston Texans in exchange for Akers and a conditional 2026 seventh-rounder.

If the compensation sounds familiar, it’s because Minnesota worked out the exact same trade with the Los Angeles Rams for Akers in September 2023.

The Vikings only have three draft picks in 2025, which likely made Akers the more attractive Houston back than the more expensive Dameon Pierce . Akers also has the added benefit of knowing head coach Kevin O’Connell’s system, both from last year’s stint in Minnesota and their time together in Los Angeles.

Akers appeared in six games for the Vikings in 2023, but his run ended in November due to a season-ending achilles injury. He’ll add much-needed depth behind Jones as the Vikings look to sharpen the edges of their roster in hopes for a deep playoff run.

The other backs on Minnesota's roster are former fifth-round pick Ty Chandler and Myles Gaskin, who's on the fringe of the roster. Akers, a former second-round pick of the Rams in 2020, figures to challenge for the No. 2 role behind Jones sooner rather than later.

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