Salary cap impact of Rams trading Cam Akers to Vikings
The Los Angeles Rams found a team to trade for Cam Akers on Wednesday, striking a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. The return for the Rams is about as low as it gets – a late-round pick swap in 2026 – but there are salary cap benefits to this deal.
According to Spotrac, the Rams free up $1.29 million in cap space by trading Akers. The Vikings will now be on the hook for the remainder of his contract, which ends after this season.
He does leave behind $673,683 in dead cap because the Rams already paid that out in the form of a bonus and his first two weeks’ salary, but they still net a savings of $1.29 million.
Because Akers’ contract ends after this year, there is no cap benefit in 2024 as he wouldn’t have been under contract next year regardless.
#NFL TRADE#Vikings Acquire
– RB Cam Akers
– 2026 7th round pick#Rams Acquire
– 2026 6th round pickAkers brings a 1 year, $1.29M contract with him to Minnesota, leaving behind $673,683 of dead cap to Los Angeles.https://t.co/GbgmgQ9BH4
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 20, 2023
Obviously a 2026 pick swap isn’t much for a former second-round pick, but the Rams didn’t see a place for him on the roster anymore and at least they get some cap relief now.
