Cam Akers Is Out: Seahawks Clear the Backfield After Drafting Jadarian Price

The Seahawks released veteran running back Cam Akers on Monday, cleaning house in the backfield just days after selecting Jadarian Price in the first round of the NFL draft. The move signals where Seattle's priorities are headed in the running back room, and it's clear the front office is betting big on the new blood coming in.

Akers' Brief Seahawks Tenure Ends

Akers, a seven-year NFL veteran, signed to the Seahawks' practice squad last November after an injury sidelined another back. He appeared in three regular-season games and played in the NFC title game win over the Rams, but never got a carry in either situation. He did record two kickoff returns for 54 yards in a late-season win at Carolina, but that wasn't enough to keep him around when the draft class arrived.

Six Backs on the Roster, Spots to Fill

With Akers out, the Seahawks now have six running backs competing for roster spots: Price, Zach Charbonnet, Holani, Kenny McIntosh, Jacardia Wright, and free agent signee Emanuel Wilson. Here's the wrinkle: Charbonnet seems likely to start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered in the divisional playoff win against the 49ers.

Head Coach Mike Macdonald is confident about the recovery. "I can't give you a timeline right now, but he's killing it as we knew he would," Macdonald said. "If you're going to bet on anybody, it's Zach Charbonnet. I'm excited for him. He's in great spirits."

That leaves five healthy backs competing for what could be three or four spots on the initial 53-man roster, with Charbonnet waiting in the wings for a midseason return. Price, Wilson, and Holani are expected to lead the charge heading into camp. McIntosh and Wright are still recovering from knee injuries suffered last season.

Building Out the Roster

Releasing Akers drops the Seahawks to 82 players on their roster. The team has also reached agreement with seven undrafted free agents: tight end Lance Mason of Wisconsin, linebacker Devean Deal of TCU, defensive tackle Uso Seumalo of Kansas State, receiver Michael Briscoe of Cal Poly, edge rusher Aidan Hubbard of Northwestern, receiver Levi Wentz of Kansas, and defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. of Oklahoma.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.