Houston Texans RB Cam Akers Shines in Debut vs. Chicago Bears

Cam Akers made a strong impression for the Houston Texans in the Hall of Fame Game.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 3, 2024

Aug 1, 2024; Canton, Ohio, USA; Houston Texans running back Cam Akers (22) runs after a catch as Chicago Bears defensive tackle Jamree Kromah (59) chases during the second quarter at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

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Houston Texans

The Houston Texans didn't play many of their starters in Thursday night's Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears, but they did feature a player who could be rising up the depth chart.

Veteran running back Cam Akers is coming off two Achilles tears before arriving with the Texans, but he responded with a pair of catches and five rushes for 13 yards in Thursday's game. He also found the end zone on the receiving end of a pass from Case Keenum in the second quarter.

“Cam [Akers] made a couple of nice plays that everybody saw," coach DeMeco Ryans said postgame. "The plays that Cam made running the football and also with the receiving touchdown. Cam has a very savvy way of slipping off of tacklers, making plays so I like where Cam was a tonight and he showed some playmaking ability which he has shown in the past, it's just a matter of Cam continuing to get reps and build off when he's done.”

Akers, 25, was a second round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams out of Florida State, but he failed to live up to those high expectations coming into the league. He won a Super Bowl with the Rams in his second season but spent nearly the entirety of that year on the sidelines with an Achilles tear.

In 2022, he requested a trade from the Rams that was never granted. He played in just one game in 2023 with the Rams before they simply cut him. But now, with his injuries and poor fits behind him, he can move forward with the Texans and get a fresh new start for his career.

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You can follow Jeremy Brener on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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Published Aug 3, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.