NFC Rumors: Cam Akers, 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cardinals, Rams

Cam Akers

Rams HC Sean McVay said that if the Rams were to advance to the postseason, RB Cam Akers would be in line to suit up for the team in the playoffs.

“You don’t want to be presumptuous, but if we are able to make the playoffs and give ourselves a chance to play after (the regular season), the expectation is that Cam would be available to play,” McVay said, via The Athletic. “He’s on track to do that. He was running at 80 percent body weight at 10 miles per hour pretty effortlessly, and from the cameras that I saw last week that are kind of right behind his feet on the treadmill, unless you saw the scar you wouldn’t notice any sort of hitch in his giddy-up on that. He’s attacking the rehab the right way. He’s doing great. I think the plan is, if we’re able to play past the regular season, we’ll get Cam back this year and he’ll be playing in the playoffs.”

McVay said Akers being cleared to return and him feeling ready to return are two totally different scenarios, and he wants Akers feeling like he’s ready to return before he’s inserted in a game scenario.

“When you are making a recovery from a significant injury like this, if it’s not something that the player is totally on board with, totally committed or feeling great about,” he said, “then there is a difference between a ‘return to play’ and a ‘return to performance’. We want guys to return to performance levels, and that’s what I want to be able to hear from (Cam) and then obviously the doctors’ feedback is vital as well.”

McVay said he and the Rams’ staff are very pleased with RB Darrell Henderson, but the offense is missing Akers’ presence.

“I just love the mental makeup. He’s so confident but he’s got a great spirit,” McVay said. “He’s so refreshingly secure in himself. It’s not too big for him. He knows he’s the man. But he’s still got such a good way about himself. He’s a really good kid. I love the guy.”

McVay is hoping that Akers can return to the team this postseason and provide a similar spark that former RB C.J. Anderson did during the Rams’ 2018-2019 postseason run.

“When you’re seeing him, and you ask about the progress … you ask Cam, there is no doubt in his mind that he’ll be ready if that opportunity presents itself. That’s what he is preparing for,” McVay said. “I think I’m always looking at (Akers) as a plus-one because I still think that is asking a lot. Until you really have tangible evidence of, ‘What can he do?’ I am kind of looking at him as a bonus. Like, holy shit. You get him back, that’s unbelievable for our team. And if he’s actually the Cam that we all know, now you can start to run some different personnels where you can start to put some pressure on people with he and Darrell in the game at the same time. I think what I would say is, ‘cautious optimism’ would probably be an appropriate (phrase).”

49ers

• Matt Barrows of The Athletic believes 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan reversed course on his original plan to mix QB Trey Lance into their system because it has proven harder to accomplish. 
• Barrows thinks the 49ers’ running back situation with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson played a “big factor” in Lance’s slower development this season. 
• If it was Barrows’ call, he writes that Lance would get to start the last eight games of the regular season. 
• As for possible trade candidates for the 49ers, Barrows lists QB Jimmy Garoppolo, OT Mike McGlinchey, and DE Arden Key. However, Garoppolo’s contract makes a trade a non-starter, San Francisco doesn’t have a replacement for McGlinchey and Key probably doesn’t have enough value to have a market. 
• Shanahan cited Lance’s knee injury as the reason why it’s a bad time for him to be a full-time starter: “I don’t think it’s the right thing for him to start full-time right now.”  (Adam Beasley)
• Shanahan said that Lance will be limited in practice on Wednesday and they do not intend on rushing him back: “We didn’t draft Trey to just fix this year. We drafted him to be our quarterback of the future.” (Beasley)
• As for the Patriots reportedly offering a second-round pick during the 2021 NFL Draft in exchange for Garoppolo, Shanahan said there was no truth to the rumors: “No. None.” (Barrows)
• 49ers TE George Kittle (calf) is expected to return from injured reserve for Week 9. (Matt Maiocco)
• 49ers LT Trent Williams (ankle) and WR Deebo Samuel (calf) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice. (Nick Wagoner)
• Shanahan mentioned that DT Javon Kinlaw is having his knee examined in Los Angeles and “surgery is likely.” (Nick Wagoner)

Cardinals

• Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury said OL Sean Harlow will start at center in Thursday’s Week 8 game if Max Garcia (Achilles) is unable to play.  (Bob McManaman)
• Kingsbury added G Justin Pugh and RT Kelvin Beachum have experience at center but they are last-resort options.
• Kingsbury said WR DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) may be a game-time decision but “fully expects” the receiver to play. (Bob McManaman)
• Kingsbury added Cardinals C Rodney Hudson (ribs) is trending toward being activated from the injured reserve in time for Week 9 against the 49ers. (Bob McManaman)