Rams RB Cam Akers to Regain No. 3 Jersey; Casts Shadow of Doubt on Odell Beckham Jr’s Los Angeles Future

The Los Angeles Rams get a new name to don the No 3 jersey. After waiting for more than a year, Cam Akers will have the opportunity to wear this jersey, which was previously worn by the star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

The NFL superstar free agent, Odell Beckham Jr, who suffered a torn ACL, is expected to remain out of the game for a few more months. Some even expect him to be ready for next year’s playoffs at the earliest. He was playing for the Rams in a one-year deal, but with this news, his return to the team seems to fade away. Will he return to the Rams again?

Cam Akers will wear the No 3 jersey

Last year, the 22-year-old running back was desperate to switch his jersey number from 23 to 3. However, he couldn’t do it, because OBJ was wearing the same jersey. Moreover, two players with the same number aren’t allowed to play in the same team. While this latest news broke out, ESPN insider Adam Schefter came forward to reveal the demographic view of the matter.

He said that the NFL charged Akers $500,000 to change his number to 3. As a result, he had to wait for an entire year to make that happen free of cost. “Last year, Cam Akers planned to switch to No. 3, but the NFL wanted to charge him $500,000, so he waited until this season to make the switch, for free. When OBJ signed, the Rams and NFL arranged for him to wear No. 3, but all sides agreed he would have a different number in 2022.” Adam Schefter said in his tweet.

Fans were soon to hop into the discussion asking how crazy it is to charge for switching jersey numbers. A whopping amount that nearly equals Beckham’s signing bonus.

Even though No 3 has become a brand for OBJ’s identity, it means a lot more than that for the Akers. Last year, Rams Wire’s Cameron DaSilva revealed the significance of the number in his life. Akers played with that No 3 since childhood. Moreover, in times of stress and heartbreak, he always had his favorite No. 3.

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“That number holds a lot of value to me because I played in that number when I was in my roughest times in life,” Akers told reporters back in 2021. “I feel like I’m at my strongest – not literally at my strongest, but that’s how I feel,” Akers added to his statement. According to DaSilva, his desperation for changing the numbers went on to the extent that the Rams began offering Akers No. 3 jerseys online last year.

Rams openly giving away No 3 Jersey, OBJ’s LA future?

Unless Odell Beckham Jr agrees to wear another jersey playing for the Rams, his return to the team seems improbable. Having OBJ on the roster helped the Rams execute new variations inside the offensive; however, with his departure, the team might lose a lethal weapon for the upcoming season. He suffered a torn ACL in Los Angeles’ Super Bowl win and is still on the path to recovery. Up to this very moment, OBJ was poised to make a comeback to the Rams. Currently a free agent, the wide receiver has ample opportunities in the market.

His abilities and speed will easily earn him a lucrative deal with a safe landing spot; however, the Rams will be the ones eying to play him in the upcoming season.

Beckham impressed the Rams’ management by making 27 catches for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight games in L.A. His acrobatic touchdown grab in the Rams’ 23-20 Super Bowl victory over the Bengals made him an obvious choice for the future years. As the draft has already begun, it will be interesting to see how the team manages to accommodate other players and OBJ at the same time.

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