As they prepare their roster for an intriguing Week 15 matchup with Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts, the Seattle Seahawks said goodbye to a pair of former Minnesota Vikings players on Thursday.
Former Vikings running back Cam Akers and cornerback Shaq Griffin are now in need of new NFL homes after the Seahawks waived both of them on Thursday to clear some room on the team's active roster.
Seattle has multiple players who are currently close to returning from injured reserve, and the departures of Akers and Griffin seem to be a clear indication that at least two of those players will likely be back on the team's active roster before the Seahawks take the field on Sunday against the Colts.
Life after the Minnesota Vikings has been underwhelming for Cam Akers and Shaq Griffin
In 2024, both Akers and Griffin appeared in at least 12 games for Minnesota, and they were part of the reason why the team was able to finish the regular season with 14 wins.
Griffin landed with the Vikings last year after spending the previous season with the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers. He wasn't the 2019 version of himself that earned a Pro Bowl selection, but he was still a solid cornerback for Minnesota's defense last season as he finished with 41 tackles (one for a loss), six pass breakups, and two interceptions.
Akers' impact wasn't as big as he was only on the field for 23 percent of the Vikings' offensive snaps in 2024, but he made the most of his opportunities. In 12 appearances with Minnesota last season, he rushed for 297 yards and one touchdown on 64 carries (4.6 yards per carry) in addition to catching 10 passes for 52 yards and two more scores.
After the 2024 campaign, both hit free agency, but neither had exactly what one would describe as a "hot market."
Akers signed with the New Orleans Saints this past June, but he was released in August when the team was making its final cuts before the start of the regular season. A few weeks later, Akers signed with the Vikings' practice squad, and he remained in the Twin Cities until he was released on November 22nd.
Griffin signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks back in June, but he was let go in August as part of the team's final 2025 cuts. He stuck around with Seattle afterwards, going back and forth between the team's practice squad and active roster, and he's only appeared in two games for them this season.