The NFC West RB Units

[NCRamGuy]

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I reckon cam is gonna have the year we thought he was gonna have in 21 before he got injured.

Is this Akers final contract season?

Because I have a feeling he will do really well and then want a big ass contract as part of this "retooling"

 

[oldnotdead]

Actually one of Zach Evans knock was lack of field vision.

I go by what I see. Watch the highlight clip. If he had poor field vision he wouldn't see the holes and running lanes as quickly and as well as he does. Note the yardage gained when he bounces outside, or cut back because the hole wasn't there. If he had poor field vision some of those runs don't happen. Many of those runs in that highlight weren't as drawn up.

Also, like Akers he runs with power. Arm tackles aren't going to stop him. The bottom line is that the Rams got a quality RB in the 6th round capable of being a starter if need be. The only knock on him is some off field immaturity. But let's see if he's outgrown all that now that he's at this level and in this locker room. As #3 RB he can be replaced and must perform to move up on the depth chart. That might be a defining moment in his maturity growth.

Cam Akers is in his contract year. That is why the Rams moved up to grab Evans. He gives them an option and also reduces the leverage that Akers would have in a contract negotiation. In reality, the value of RBs has declined because they are replaceable pieces. There are good RBs in every draft. But it will come down to how badly Akers wants to stay and how well he plays this year. I like Akers and personally, I don't see him getting a mega contract here or as a FA. In 2024 Akers is a RFA because he missed a year due to injury. The Rams have the option to tender him. As a second round pick his contract would be $4M for one more year. That is not a deal breaker IMO. His market value will be IMO less than $5M. The Rams could tender "right of first refusal" if they don't think the market will be strong for him. That is the most likely. Either way at most Akers would be a Ram for one more year then become a comp pick.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Is this Akers final contract season?

Restricted Free Agent in 2024.

 

[den-the-coach]

I go by what I see. Watch the highlight clip. If he had poor field vision he wouldn't see the holes and running lanes as quickly and as well as he does. Note the yardage gained when he bounces outside, or cut back because the hole wasn't there. If he had poor field vision some of those runs don't happen. Many of those runs in that highlight weren't as drawn up.

Well, lets be fair, you need to watch more then a highlight clip. I hope Zach Evans is the 2nd coming of Terrell Davis, but the reason he transferred from TCU to Ole Miss and the reason he was beat out by a freshman at Ole Miss was field vision & ball security. At times Evans could take it to the house, but other times, he did not wait for the hole to develop and took it outside too quickly.

That is fine, I believe new RB Coach Ron Gould will be able to coach Evans up in that area and hopefully improve his ball security too, but those are going to be areas of opportunity come training camp.

 

[Memento]

I think we’re all sleeping on Kyren Williams. He’s not the explosive back Zach Evans is, isn’t the dynamic talent Cam Akers is, isn’t the bowling ball that Tiyon Evans (whom I believe will make the team over Ronnie Rivers) is, but he’s by far our best and most versatile third down back, our best pass protecter, and is quick, has great vision and is our best route runner. Henderson, I truly believe was made obsolete as a third down back by K-Will. And he’s from St. Louis and idolized S-Jax, so those are two more reasons I hope he succeeds.

 

[oldnotdead]

I'm not sleeping on Williams, that's why I contend that the Rams have one of the best TRIO of RBs in the NFCW. They are truly deep at this position. I love that they are underrated because maybe they will catch some teams napping on the Ram's running game.

 

[oldnotdead]

Well, lets be fair, you need to watch more then a highlight clip. I hope Zach Evans is the 2nd coming of Terrell Davis, but the reason he transferred from TCU to Ole Miss and the reason he was beat out by a freshman at Ole Miss was field vision & ball security. At times Evans could take it to the house, but other times, he did not wait for the hole to develop and took it outside too quickly.

That is fine, I believe new RB Coach Ron Gould will be able to coach Evans up in that area and hopefully improve his ball security too, but those are going to be areas of opportunity come training camp.

I used the highlights simply to refute the contention that Evans has poor field vision. I don't think he does. Can he improve? Absolutely, but he has the foundations on which to build a solid career in the NFL. The Rams have talent in that RB room, so if the OL can do their job this could be a good running attack this year.

 

[Memento]

I'm not sleeping on Williams, that's why I contend that the Rams have one of the best TRIO of RBs in the NFCW. They are truly deep at this position. I love that they are underrated because maybe they will catch some teams napping on the Ram's running game.

Best quatro: Tiyon Evans reminds me of C.J. Anderson with his frame.

 

[Ramrasta]

Is this Akers final contract season?

Because I have a feeling he will do really well and then want a big ass contract as part of this "retooling"

I really hope the Rams dont commit to Akers as the future with a big money deal. His career has been underwhelming at best and his efficiency numbers are poor. He has never been inside of the top 20 backs in terms of yards per carry.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I really hope the Rams dont commit to Akers as the future with a big money deal. His career has been underwhelming at best and his efficiency numbers are poor. He has never been inside of the top 20 backs in terms of yards per carry.

Akers will only be a Restricted free agent after this season. Should he have a good year, the Rams can make a qualifying offer which is not big-money, and have him for 2024.

So, the Rams do not need to make a decision on a big-$ / long-term deal after this year.

 

[oldnotdead]

Aker's has been hurt alot and missed virtually an entire year. When he's healthy, he's a very good RB. But his injury history is why IMO he won't have a big FA market. If he plays as well as I think he will this year, I can see the Rams offering him a short 2 year deal averaging $2-$3M/yr. I think Evans was drafted as Aker's probable replacement. They will be drafting another RB3 next year.

IMO Tiyon Evans is the RB with the questionable field vision. It's hard to tell because IMO he's very raw. I think Rivers is too small overall so Tiyon has an opportunity to catch on as a PS player or STs player. I think they will stick with 3 RBs on the activer roster.

I think RB is the easiest position to fill in each draft.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Again … Cam Akers is NOT an unrestricted free agent after this season.

 

[muggmeister]

At least we DON'T have the Cards RB room, that would be fucking depressing.

 

[Merlin]

I really hope the Rams dont commit to Akers as the future with a big money deal. His career has been underwhelming at best and his efficiency numbers are poor. He has never been inside of the top 20 backs in terms of yards per carry.

The way this regime makes backfield decisions they're probably trying to ink him as we speak.

 

[oldnotdead]

Cam Akers is a restricted free agent in 2024 and over the cap is wrong.

Per Turf Show Times and Spotrac:

Because Akers was injured in training camp of 2021 and did not play in six regular season games that year, his 2024 free agency status changed from Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) to Restricted Free Agent (RFA). Why? According to NFL contract rules, an RFA is a player who has three or less accrued seasons.

The Rams have the option to tender him right of first refusal. His value will be around $2-$3M/yr IMO.