LA Rams: One last look at the young receivers as training camp winds down

Landen Akers

There must be something very intriguing about Landon Akers because the LA Rams added him to a packed receiver room after the 2021 NFL Draft. Well, it’s that special team’s element. He stands 6-foot-0 and weighs 191-pounds. Oh. it could be his speed. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash time speed. Yeah, I think that might be it.

It’s certainly been his ticket so far. He is one of the three players getting a lot of work and looks like a potential special teams player for the LA Rams. Much has been said about his role in competing as a punt returner. You have to presume that he will be just as involved in kick returns too. Special teams’ play appears to be the ticket.

Still, even the special teams’ route has become awfully competitive in 2021, this young man remains firmly entrenched in the mix. In punt returns, the competition at the joint practice with the Cowboys seemed to fall to Raymond Calais, Tutu Atwell, and Landen Akers. If that remains, he will likely do no worse than a practice squad berth.

So far, Akers has navigated the Rams organization well enough to be in a position to earn a roster berth with exemplary play in preseason games. While that may not sound like a ringing endorsement, it’s quite the statement that he is even in the mix at this point.  While the LA Rams have a special team/wide receiver slot filled by Tutu Atwell, I would not put it past the team to consider another such role for Special Teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis in 2021. The Rams carried wide receiver Trishton Jackson on the roster in 2020, and he never saw the football field on offense.

That being said, I don’t think those types of discussions are being held on Akers’ behalf just yet. He will need to prove to be special in the return game, and at least serviceable on offense before the Rams divert another roster slot to the special team’s cause. Akers has a 10 percent shot at a roster spot or a 40 percent shot at practice squad spot. That is assuming that he looks good in preseason games.