Akers closing in on return
Cam Akers was out of sight and mostly out of mind for Rams fans since the running back tore an Achilles tendon in July, an injury thought to put him out for the season.
But Rams players and coaches watched Akers go through rehabilitation in the training room and on the sideline at practice to try to beat the odds.
So when it was announced Thursday that Akers is close to coming off the injured reserve list, the reaction at team headquarters wasn’t surprise.
Only amazement.
“It wasn’t a surprise just because I’ve seen him go to work since Day 1, since this thing happened,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “But am I surprised at the progress he’s made? Absolutely.
“It’s unbelievable, to get his body back as fast as he has. I’ve never seen anything like that for that injury.
“Seeing him move the way he’s moving on the side, and doing all that stuff, is incredible.”
Barely five months after Akers was injured in a pretraining-camp workout, he was cleared to practice and designated for return from IR, giving the Rams 21 days to decide whether to activate him.
Coach Sean McVay said the Rams will monitor how Akers responds to practice, but left little doubt he will be available at some point in the last three weeks of the regular season or the playoffs.
“I think you want to be cautious, but I do see him being activated,” McVay said. “I think he’s earned the right, the way that he’s approached this rehab.”
Akers wasn’t on the field in Thousand Oaks on Thursday when the Rams went through a jog-through practice in what McVay called “the torrential downpour that we never have here.”
The Rams (10-4) can clinch at least a wild-card spot in the playoffs if they win or tie against the Minnesota Vikings (7-7) in Minneapolis on Sunday, or if the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints both lose or tie their games this week.
They’d love to have Akers back to try to repeat his performance in the first round of last season’s playoffs, when he rushed 28 times for 131 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 45 in a 30-20 win at Seattle.
That was part of the seven-game run at the end of Akers’ rookie season in which the second-round draft pick from Florida State averaged 92.1 yards rushing and 21.0 receiving
and made himself the Rams’ No. 1 back heading to training camp.
Akers’ injury July 19 left Darrell Henderson in the No. 1 role, and prompted the acquisition of Sony Michel in a trade with the New England Patriots. Henderson has averaged 61.0 yards a game when healthy. Michel has averaged 42.6 (but 97.3 while starting the Rams’ three straight wins).
“The more, the merrier,” said Stafford, who has yet to play a game with Akers. “It’s such a physical position. At some point along the way, somebody’s going to be dealing with something, probably.”
McVay praised surgeon Dr. Neal Elattrache and Rams Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance Reggie Scott and the training and strength staff for their roles but mainly praised Akers himself for his recovery.
The coach said he knew in October that Akers was making progress. It didn’t make Thursday’s development any less impressive.
“He’s a freak,” McVay said.
Stafford snubbed?
If Stafford was upset at losing out to Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Kyler Murray in Pro Bowl voting by NFL players, coaches and fans, he didn’t say it in so many words.
“I just go about my day, continue to prepare and try to play as good as I possibly can for the guys in our locker room and our coaching staff and our fans,” Stafford said Thursday. “That’s how I feel about it, to be honest with you.”
McVay said Stafford is “a Pro Bowler to me, without a doubt.”
Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, defensive tackle Aaron Donald, cornerback Jalen Ramsey and kicker Matt Gay were named Pro Bowl starters Wednesday.
Stafford, left tackle Andrew Whitworth, center Brian Allen and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd were named Pro Bowl alternates.
COVID corner
Rams safety Jordan Fuller is due to come off the COVID-19 reserve list today because he’ll reach 10 days without symptoms.
Tight end Tyler Higbee, now the only Rams starter on the list, hits 10 days Monday.
The Rams’ COVID-19 list is down to six players after the activation Thursday of tight end Johnny Mundt and defensive backs Antoine Brooks, JuJu Hughes and Jake Gervase. Mundt is still on injured reserve. Gervase is on the practice squad.