Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams was a breakout star in 2023, rushing for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns with 206 receiving yards and three more touchdowns through the air in just 12 games. He averaged 95.3 rushing yards per game, which was the most in the league.
Going into this season though, the Rams have made it clear that they want to keep Williams fresh and healthy for the stretch run. They drafted Blake Corum in the third round in order to spell Williams throughout the course of the years.
With that being the case, it came as a surprise when head coach Sean McVay announced that Williams will be returning punts for the Rams this season after the team waived wide receiver Xavier Smith.
“Kyren Williams is going to be our punt returner,” McVay said. “It’s another opportunity for him to get touches and impact the game. You feel comfortable with that because of the confidence in Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers being able to spell him if need be. So that was what has made it tough for ‘X’. He didn’t do anything not to win the punt return job. It’s just Kyren is a guy that we want to continue to have different ways that he can impact the game and that’s one going to be reflected.”
As McVay alluded to, the Rams having confidence in Corum and Ronnie Rivers is allowing for this to happen. Williams is still the team’s lead back though, so there’s no denying that there is some risk involved with him returning punts.
It will be interesting to see how long this lasts as while Williams may be dynamic as a return man, he is too important to the Rams’ offense to miss significant time with an injury.
Sean McVay confident in Rams’ running back room
The Rams decided to waive both Boston Scott and Zach Evans, leaving just Williams, Corum and Rivers on the roster.
While the Rams eventually added another running back by claiming Cody Schrader, McVay expressed confidence in the group they have in the locker room.
“Those guys really separated themselves,” McVay said. “I couldn’t be more confident in Kyren [Williams]. I think Blake Corum has come in and done an outstanding job. Ronnie Rivers is a guy that as improved as anybody on this team. The trust and the confidence that we have in him, and really all three of those guys, I’m super excited about. That’s usually how many we end up having on our 48 [gameday actives] when we end up having to decide on that and those guys were just a step above everyone else.”
