Odell Beckham remains a free agent, and the Rams remain interested in re-signing him. But if the receiver re-signs with Los Angeles, he will wear a different number than No. 3.
Running back Cam Akers is changing to No. 3, the team announced Wednesday.
Akers planned to switch to No. 3 last season, but the NFL would have charged him $500,000 for existing inventory of his No. 23 jerseys. So he decided to wait a year, and the Rams had it on hold for him for 2022.
Akers was on injured reserve when Beckham signed with the Rams in November and took No. 3. NFL rules prohibited backup quarterback John Wolford from giving up his No. 13 to Beckham since the season was under way. But Beckham and the Rams agreed the receiver would have a different number -- other than No. 3 -- if he re-signs with the team in 2022, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Akers previously wore No. 3 while playing at Florida State and Clinton High School in Mississippi. He has said he began wearing the number when he was 6, but when he arrived in the NFL, rules didn’t allow running backs to wear single-digit numbers. The rules changed in 2021.
So after two years in No. 23, Akers finally is back in his old No. 3.