It sounds as if extension talks between the Rams and running back Kyren Williams are continuing to trend in the right direction. As was the case with spring work, Williams timely reported to training camp, and he emphatically stated he would be a full practice participant while negotiations are ongoing (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic).
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters (including Rodrigue) that Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, spent time at the team’s training camp site on Thursday to discuss Williams’ contract with Los Angeles brass. No agreement is in place yet, but McVay conceded that the mere fact Rosenhaus made the trip is an indication that discussions are going well.
McVay expressed similar sentiments back in May, so it is unclear how much work remains to be done before the two sides strike an accord. In any event, the Rams understandably will not reset the running back market for Williams, and it is difficult to predict exactly where his new contract will rank among the deals his RB peers have secured.
The top of the market is set by game-changing talents like Saquon Barkley ($20.6MM average annual value), Christian McCaffrey ($19MM), and Derrick Henry ($15MM). While the soon-to-be 25-year-old Williams has the age advantage on those players, he does not have nearly the same record of production.
Williams, a fifth-round pick in 2022, saw just 35 totes in his rookie season. He exploded onto the scene in 2023 with a league-leading average of 95.3 rushing yards per game to go along with a stellar 5.0 yards-per-carry rate. He added 206 receiving yards for good measure and piled up 15 total touchdowns.
Increased usage in 2024 (316 carries, as opposed to 228 in 2023) was accompanied by a drop in efficiency. Williams’ 4.1 YPC mark in 2024, while solid, was not stellar, and he also fumbled five times. He nonetheless remained a touchdown and first down machine, recording 16 total scores and moving the chains a total of 91 times.
As such, it would not be surprising to see Williams hit the $10MM/year threshold, an AAV that seven other running backs presently enjoy. Barring an unforeseen development, an extension should be expected sooner rather than later.