The Texans are trading the running back ahead of their Week 7 game against the Packers

The Houston Texans sent running back Cam Akers to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 2026 conditional sixth-round pick from Minnesota, along with a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick. Akers was already playing for the Vikings in 2023 when a similar pick swap passed him over brought the Los Angeles Rams to Minnesota. Before going on injured reserve because of an Achilles tendon injury, Akers recorded 38 carries for 138 yards and a score for Minnesota and 11 receptions for 70 yards.

This season, Akers was an injured backup behind Joe Mixon. Akers has carried the ball 40 times for 147 yards and a touchdown in five games. He was also the third most targeted back for Houston behind Dare Ogunbowale and Mixon with seven targets, which turned into four receptions for 16 yards and a score.

Last week, Mixon received 15 touches, Dameon Pierce received nine and Ogunbowale and Akers each carried the ball twice against the New England Patriots in a 41-21 win. With Akers now off the roster, we can expect Pierce, who just returned from a hamstring injury, to see more against the Green Bay Packers behind Mixon, who just returned from an ankle injury.

Akers appears to be the Vikings' No. 2 running back for the rest of the year behind former Packer Aaron Jones. This will replace Ty Chandler, who has 42 carries, with Miles Gaskin's three in 2024. Of Minnesota's 142 total carries this year, Jones has only made 71, which isn't unusual considering Jones is usually around 200 carries in a fully healthy season.

The Vikings, who sit atop the NFC North with a 5-0 record, made the move to solidify their strength at the position.

Trade action appears to be happening early this season as former Packers receiver Davante Adams was sent from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns receiver Amari Cooper was traded to the Buffalo Bills today. Yesterday, the Jacksonville Jaguars, entering the second week of their two-week stay in London, sent defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seattle Seahawks.

Jets receiver Mike Williams and pass rusher Haason Reddick are both reportedly in the trade. Former Green Bay receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was also released by the Bills today to make room for the signing of Cooper.