Preseason action is for young players and comeback stories. Cam Akers firmly sits in the latter category after suffering a second Achilles injury.
In Thursday night's Hall of Fame Game loss to the Chicago Bears, the Houston Texans running back showed a revived burst, good cuts and an ability to catch the ball.
"I just give all the praise to the Lord," Akers told NFL Network Chief National Reporter Steve Wyche after the game. "Two Achilles (injuries) in. Most people wouldn't be on the field again. So, to even be out there, I give credit to the team to give me an opportunity. I'm just happy to be here. I'm blessed to go put out a performance the way I did. A touchdown, my first game back in general. I'm blessed."
Akers rushed five times for 13 yards, with a long of seven yards. He also caught two passes on two targets, one in which he made a nifty spin move to gain 14 yards and the other a 4-yard touchdown.
The Texans moved the ball well in the first half, scoring on three of their first four possessions.
"I think it's a testament to the way we work in the Houston heat," Akers said of the performance in the first preseason game. "The resilience that we have to work in that heat and get better and stay on top of the mental things and the physical aspect of course. I think it's a testament to the way we work to coach staying on top of us, we are swarming. That's what he preached to us: Just swarm. That's what we did tonight, and we swarmed all around the place from offense to defense, especially those first few drives."
Akers has had a rollercoaster career over his first four seasons. He looked like a sensation during his rookie campaign and was poised for a big role in Year 2 before he tore his Achilles in July of 2021. He attempted to return for the Rams' Super Bowl run that year but was clearly slowed. In 2022, he bounced back, earning career highs with 786 yards and seven TDs.
Then came last year's spat with the Rams organization and an eventual trade to Minnesota. As he was getting his feet wet with the Vikings, he tore another Achilles.
The 25-year-old's performance on Thursday showed he still has juice left.
"It makes me feel like I'm still me," he said. "Obviously, people are going to try to paint a narrative of who I am, the running back position or how it goes. But I just wanted to come out and show people that I'm still me and that I still make plays when given an opportunity. I'll continue to do that."
The Texans traded for Joe Mixon this offseason and handed him a new contract. He's clearly the No. 1. Third-year bulldozer Dameon Pierce is the likely No. 2. Akers, Dare Ogunbowale (who took the first reps Thursday), sixth-round rookie Jawhar Jordan, J.J. Taylor and undrafted rookie British Brooks will battle for the final spots.
Of the running backs who participated on Thursday night, Akers is the only one who didn't play a special teams snap, per Next Gen Stats, which could make his bid to earn a roster spot more challenging if that trend holds.