Latest news with #KyrenWilliams
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kyren Williams reports to Rams training camp but is a 'potential hold-in candidate'
Kyren Williams and the Los Angeles Rams have been negotiating a potential contract extension for months now that the star running back is eligible for a new deal but those talks haven't amounted to anything yet. Rookies and veterans report to training camp on Tuesday and though Williams hasn't gotten the raise he's seeking, he's not holding out. Williams arrived at LMU for camp on Tuesday, which is a great sign for the Rams. However, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Williams is a 'potential hold-in candidate.' In other words, he could choose to sit out practices while contract talks are ongoing, a strategy often used by players this time of year. It's a negotiating tactic that sends the message to the team that he's not thrilled with his current contract, but he's not completely skipping camp so he'll still be up to speed in meetings and other workouts. It's not even certain that Williams will sit out any practices; we'll find out on Thursday when the Rams take the field for their first open practice at LMU. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Kyren Williams contract: Rams RB reports to camp but could 'hold-in'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
8 biggest storylines entering Rams training camp
Players are reporting to Los Angeles Rams training camp at Loyola Marymount on Tuesday as they get settled in for the next week-plus of work. The Rams' roster looks like one of the best on paper, but as is the case with every team, there are storylines to follow and questions to answer. From contract negotiations to injuries to position battles, here are the eight biggest storylines to keep an eye on as training camp rolls on. Alaric Jackson's health There's no bigger question mark entering training camp than Jackson's status. He's dealing with blood clots in his leg and there's no real timetable for him to return. No one really knows when he'll be back on the field, whether it's during training camp or in the middle of the season. Sean McVay said last month that he'd have an update on Jackson when they get to training camp so we await word on when the Rams can expect their starting left tackle to be back in the fold. Until then, it'll likely be D.J. Humphries and David Quessenberry competing for reps at left tackle. Kyren Williams' contract situation Last year, it was Matthew Stafford's contract that got done at the 11th hour before the start of training camp. This year, Williams is looking for a new deal and while his contract isn't as dire as Stafford's was, negotiations have been going on for months. Training camp is typically when the Rams sign their players to extensions so it's possible Williams' deal will get done in the coming weeks. But heading to Loyola Marymount, there will be a lot of attention on the running back's financial situation. The Rams are seemingly reluctant to give him top-market money but it's easy to see why he believes he deserves a raise after the last two seasons he put together and he's a potential 'hold-in candidate,' according to Ian Rapoport. It's definitely a situation to monitor. Sorting out the cornerback group The Rams have talent at cornerback, but there's also a lot of uncertainty with that group. Darious Williams is getting older, Ahkello Witherspoon has been up and down, and Cobie Durant is still waiting for that breakout year. Then there are Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Josh Wallace, Derion Kendrick and others competing for snaps. Williams, Witherspoon and Durant are the favorites to start, with Quentin Lake also manning the slot again. But Forbes is a promising young player and Kendrick is back from injury. Piecing the secondary together will be a primary task in camp. How will newcomers fit with the Rams? Davante Adams, Poona Ford and Coleman Shelton are all new to the team and remain on track to be starters. But when the pads come on and the competition heats up, we'll get a much better idea of how these three players fit with the team. Adams is a perfect partner for Puka Nacua at wide receiver, Ford is an upgrade at nose tackle and Shelton brings familiarity at center. The Rams also have Nate Landman at linebacker, who will be competing for snaps alongside Omar Speights and Chris Paul Jr. He could wind up being a starter for Los Angeles this season, too. Tutu Atwell's golden opportunity Atwell is in position to play his biggest role yet as a member of the Rams. Fresh off signing a $10 million extension, Atwell is penciled in as the No. 3 receiver behind Adams and Nacua. That alone will earn him a lot of playing time on a team that often has three wideouts on the field at a time. The question is whether Atwell will capitalize on it and become a full-time contributor or remain a situational player who does most of his damage on deep routes. The Rams would love for him to finally emerge as the weapon they thought he'd become when he was picked in the second round and there's never been a better opportunity for him to accomplish just that. Diversifying the offense beyond 11 personnel McVay said after the 2024 season that he wanted to diversify the offense this year. They were fairly one-dimensional last season due to their lack of explosive plays, forcing the offense to methodically march down the field with long drives. After drafting Terrance Ferguson in the second round, the Rams are poised to change things up a bit. With Ferguson, Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson all being starting-caliber tight ends, the Rams can mix and match their personnel much more easily this season. They won't give everything away in camp but we could get a better idea of how they plan to deploy their five eligible receivers this season. There should be more 12 personnel with two tight ends on the field together, but will it become their base package? Doubtful. Who steps up as the No. 3 OLB? Michael Hoecht left to join the Bills in free agency, which left a void at outside linebacker behind Jared Verse and Byron Young. The Rams weren't very aggressive in attempting to replace the veteran edge rusher, with their only notable addition being Josaiah Stewart in the third round of the draft. It's obvious Los Angeles is confident in its young edge rushers, including Brennan Jackson and Nick Hampton. Between Jackson, Hampton and Stewart, someone has to step up and become the third edge rusher in the rotation – a key role with how frequently players at that position need a break throughout each game. If the backups struggle in camp, look for the Rams to potentially add a veteran before the season begins. Wide-open ILB competition Seriously, though. Who is going to start at linebacker? Omar Speights and Nate Landman? Speights and Chris Paul Jr.? Landman and Paul? Troy Reeder and Shaun Dolac?? It's without question the most wide open position group on the roster, with no clear frontrunner emerging just yet. Speights should be considered the favorite after he finished the year strong, but Landman was a notable free-agent addition and Paul was a fifth-round pick. The Rams need someone to stand out from this group in order to elicit some confidence about the weakest position on the team. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams training camp: 8 biggest storylines to watch this summer
USA Today
15-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams' 25 most important players for 2025 – No. 7: RB Kyren Williams
Kyren Williams has exceeded all expectations as a former fifth-round pick, becoming one of the most productive backs in football after just three years in the league. The Los Angeles Rams star has scored 31 total touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season, tied for the most of any player in the NFL – and that's with playing the fewest games (28) of any player in the top 15. While perhaps not the most explosive or dynamic running back, Williams makes the Rams much better when he's healthy and on the field. It's why he's near the top of our list of the 25 most important players on the Rams' roster heading into 2025. How he got here Williams was the 164th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, entering the league as a fifth-rounder out of Notre Dame. The Rams saw him as a potential playmaker after a productive career with the Irish and if not for injuries during his rookie year, he might've gotten a chance to contribute right away in his first season. 2024 stats 16 games (16 starts): 316 carries, 1,299 yards, 14 touchdowns, 34 receptions, 182 yards receiving, 2 touchdowns Projected role Though Williams may face some competition from Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter, he's still in line to be the starting running back. Rams RBs coach Ron Gould said Williams improved his explosiveness this season, which is encouraging to hear, but Corum and Hunter could eat into his carries a little bit if the big plays don't come early in the season. As long as Williams keeps playing the way he has in the last two years, he'll continue getting 15-plus carries a game. He's the definition of a workhorse, toting it 544 times since the start of 2023 alone, taking on a massive workload in the backfield – and that's without even accounting for his pass-blocking snaps. Why he's important When Williams is on the field, the Rams are 18-10 in the regular season since 2023. In the 4 games he missed due to injury, they were 1-3, all coming in the 2023 campaign. He's valuable to the entire operation of the offense, not just from a rushing perspective. He's fairly reliable in pass protection, is always willing to grind out the tough yards in short-yardage situations and has good enough hands to catch passes out of the backfield. There's certainly room for improvement but when Williams is on the field, the Rams are a better team. He's scored 31 touchdowns in the last two years alone, which means he's put up a lot of points for the Rams, making up for some of their red zone struggles through the air. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage!
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Notre Dame star RB Kyren Williams named as one of the NFL top players of 2025
It is looking like former Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams is finally getting recognition for his NFL accomplishments, as he was named as by the NFL as the No. 85 player in the league. After starting slow his rookie year with just 35 carries for 139 yards due to an ankle injury, he exploded during his second-season with the Los Angeles Rams, rushing for 1,144 yards with 12 touchdowns. Williams followed that up with an even better third-year with 1,299 rushing yards with 14 scores. He's also increase his receptions each season, and while he's not a huge threat out of the backfield, he's still scored five times over the last two years. Many expect that Williams will continue his impressive play, as he was been named to the Pro Bowl in 2023, and as a second-team All-Pro in the same year. Unfortunately, even with the increase in production in 2024, he wasn't named to either team. It's become very clear that Williams was under-drafted coming out of Notre Dame, as he lasted until the 5th round of the 2022 NFL draft. It was the Rams gain for him having to wait so long to hear his name come off the board, and they have been rewarded with two spectacular seasons and more to come.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Top 100: LA Rams RB Kyren Williams is No. 85 and will face Cardinals twice in 2025
Rams RB Kyren Williams is No. 95 in the 'NFL Top 100'. The Cardinals face him twice in 2025. One of the latest players revealed to be in the "NFL Top 100" is someone the Arizona Cardinals will see twice in 2025 because he plays for an NFC West rival. On Wednesday, players No. 86 and No. 85 were revealed. No. 86 is tackle Laremy Tunsil, who was going to be one of the Cardinals' opponents but was traded from the Houston Texans, whom the Cardinals play on the road in Week 15, to the Washington Commanders, whom they do not meet in 2025. No. 85 has had big games against the Cardinals. It is LA Rams running back Kyren Williams. NFL Top 100: No. 85 Rams RB Kyren Williams Last year, Williams was No. 78 after he broke out with 1,144 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns (15 total touchdowns) in only 12 games. He followed that up with a 2024 season in which he rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding two receiving scores for a total of 16. He was seventh in the NFL in rushing. He has been an absolute workhorse. From NFL. com: Kyren Williams played 843 offensive snaps in 2024, the most by any running back in the NFL. Since 2023, Williams has played on more than 80% of offensive snaps in 20 games, five more than the next closest RB (Saquon Barkley, 15). He didn't hurt the Cardinals too badly in 2024. He had a combined 25 carries for 81 yards and two scores against them, but was an absolute beast in 2023 against them. In two games in 2023, he rushed for 301 yards and a touchdown, and he caught six passes for 61 yards and two scores — a total of 362 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He had 350 regular-season touches and another 39 in two postseason games. Since the Cardinals don't play the Rams until Week 14 and then Week 18, we will have to see if Williams holds up with his health and, if healthy, whether the workload from last season slows him at all in those games. But Williams has been good enough for Rams head coach Sean McVay to go from a high-flying passing attack to a controlled running game where Williams is the focal point. He is one of several top-100 players already released the Cardinals will face in 2025. They will also face: Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
