Rams RB Kyren Williams: 'I don't feel like I've touched my peak yet' coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons

[bluetrain]

I really really like this Hunter kid, he has he juice to take it to the house from anywhere on the ield'
train

 

[dieterbrock]

Why didn't they sign Derrick Henry? Did they even think about it?

It's really not an easy 2nd guess, Kyren had just led the league in rushing yards per game, scored 15 TD in 12 games and was named an all pro. This of course behind an o-line that the team felt needed significant upgrades with the signings you mentioned. So I think it's safe to say, NO, they didnt think about it.

 

[PARAM]

It's really not an easy 2nd guess, Kyren had just led the league in rushing yards per game, scored 15 TD in 12 games and was named an all pro. This of course behind an o-line that the team felt needed significant upgrades with the signings you mentioned. So I think it's safe to say, NO, they didnt think about it.

Couple that with the fact Henry was 30 years old, I don't think it would have went over extremely well. The hindsight would be he had a great year in Baltimore. Let's see how many more he has left.

 

[Merlin]

I would like for the Rams to keep Kyren at a fair team friendly deal, but not if he wants top RB money.

Two things work against me agreeing with this take.

1. Kyren needs to demonstrate he can fix the fumbles. If they pay him a team friendly deal and he fumbles, that team friendly deal will be unpalatable for the depth player he becomes.

2. Rams have two other RBs to look at in 2025. Corum has potential to carry the rock as a featured back who lacks getup. Hunter may be able to take the job outright if he can come in camp with a full grasp of the scheme.

If Kyren wins the job in camp and shows he can secure the rock then by all means lock him up.

If Kyren cannot secure the rock then it's a good thing you didn't sign him. And now the question is whether either of those other two can consistently move the offense.

Lastly McVay is fucking weird with backs. I've never liked how he handles them. This is the first time he's spent an effort in building the depth chart at the position. He forgets about them in game too. So his respect for Kyren matters. But none of that changes the fact Kyren needs to show he can fix the fumbling problem.

 

[20hrswk]

It's really not an easy 2nd guess, Kyren had just led the league in rushing yards per game, scored 15 TD in 12 games and was named an all pro. This of course behind an o-line that the team felt needed significant upgrades with the signings you mentioned. So I think it's safe to say, NO, they didnt think about it.

I can see your point, but . . .
. . . in '23, Kyren had 3 games against the 2 worst run defenses in the league that "padded his stats".
Without those 3 games, his stats are average just like this past year.

Henry is different than 99.5% of RB's/KW.
He is a first ballot hall of famer.
Barring injury, I think Henry dominates for another 3/4 years. Baltimore seems to see this as well.

Henry in the Ram offense should have been easy to see as a big improvement (over KW) and would have been amazing to see.
With a Henry in the backfield (maybe Hunter or more Corum reps can bring this?), defenses would have to cheat up opening up the passing game. They don't need to cheat up vs. KW - another way KW's lack of explosiveness "costs" the offense.

For those of you that will say this is just another KW dis, it's not.
The Ram offense can be "good" with KW, but like McVay, I want more.
10-7 and in the playoffs is nice, but you play to win championships.
A more explosive backfield, however that is achieved, gives the Rams a better chance to win another Super Bowl in the next 2/3 years.

Remember what McVay said about the offense, it "needs more explosiveness" - or something similar.
To me, that meant CK and KW.
CK is gone and KW we will see, but from McVay's comment, he wants more "explosive" RB play.
If that means KW platoons or is just let go to free agency after '25, time will tell.

Judging from CK (and remembering our last RB extension), if KW doesn't sign a team friendly deal, the Rams will let him go.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I can see your point, but . . .
. . . in '23, Kyren had 3 games against the 2 worst run defenses in the league that "padded his stats".
Without those 3 games, his stats are average just like this past year.

Henry is different than 99.5% of RB's/KW.
He is a first ballot hall of famer.
Barring injury, I think Henry dominates for another 3/4 years. Baltimore seems to see this as well.

Henry in the Ram offense should have been easy to see as a big improvement (over KW) and would have been amazing to see.
With a Henry in the backfield (maybe Hunter or more Corum reps can bring this?), defenses would have to cheat up opening up the passing game. They don't need to cheat up vs. KW - another way KW's lack of explosiveness "costs" the offense.

For those of you that will say this is just another KW dis, it's not.
The Ram offense can be "good" with KW, but like McVay, I want more.
10-7 and in the playoffs is nice, but you play to win championships.
A more explosive backfield, however that is achieved, gives the Rams a better chance to win another Super Bowl in the next 2/3 years.

Remember what McVay said about the offense, it "needs more explosiveness" - or something similar.
To me, that meant CK and KW.
CK is gone and KW we will see, but from McVay's comment, he wants more "explosive" RB play.
If that means KW platoons or is just let go to free agency after '25, time will tell.

Judging from CK (and remembering our last RB extension), if KW doesn't sign a team friendly deal, the Rams will let him go.

I agree that Henry could have helped the offense. I see him as a different style of runner than what Kyren is but I’d like to have seen him in the mix, especially at that price.

I believe the original quote by McVay was that the offense needed to be more versatile. It seemed he was thinking about how Tampa Bays offense evolved under Liam Cohen.

 

[El Chapo Jr]

I hope we got after a more explosive back and not re-sign Kyren. Love how hard he plays but I want a really explosive back ..... and no not the Ram that blew up the porta potty ......yes I know its greedy to wanna improve on Kyren but so what hahaha

 

[PARAM]

I can see your point, but . . .
. . . in '23, Kyren had 3 games against the 2 worst run defenses in the league that "padded his stats".
Without those 3 games, his stats are average just like this past year.

Henry is different than 99.5% of RB's/KW.
He is a first ballot hall of famer.
Barring injury, I think Henry dominates for another 3/4 years. Baltimore seems to see this as well.

Henry in the Ram offense should have been easy to see as a big improvement (over KW) and would have been amazing to see.
With a Henry in the backfield (maybe Hunter or more Corum reps can bring this?), defenses would have to cheat up opening up the passing game. They don't need to cheat up vs. KW - another way KW's lack of explosiveness "costs" the offense.

For those of you that will say this is just another KW dis, it's not.
The Ram offense can be "good" with KW, but like McVay, I want more.
10-7 and in the playoffs is nice, but you play to win championships.
A more explosive backfield, however that is achieved, gives the Rams a better chance to win another Super Bowl in the next 2/3 years.

Remember what McVay said about the offense, it "needs more explosiveness" - or something similar.
To me, that meant CK and KW.
CK is gone and KW we will see, but from McVay's comment, he wants more "explosive" RB play.
If that means KW platoons or is just let go to free agency after '25, time will tell.

Judging from CK (and remembering our last RB extension), if KW doesn't sign a team friendly deal, the Rams will let him go.

Henry is awesome. 1921 yards last year 16 TDs; plus 2 receiving. In Baltimore teams have to cheat up to watch out for Lamar. So Henry enjoyed the 2nd best season of his great career. Lamar had almost 450 more passing yards in 2024, 41 TDs, and almost 100 more yards on the ground. Yet Baltimore was 13-4 prior to getting Henry and went 12-5 with him. Both seasons 1-1 in the postseason. Henry may have changed Baltimore's offense but he didn't change the end results.

Sure, Kyren played vs 3 of the worst rushing defenses in 2023. And made them look like it. 158 and 143 yards vs Arizona, 152 vs Washington. This year, he played 7 games (including both playoff games) vs top 10 rush D's and had 129 carries for 565 yards (4.4 .. better than his season average), 3 TDs, two 100 yard games. In those games he added another 2 TDs on receptions. So if we're gonna call him a stat padder in 2023, we should give him kudos for his performance against top rush D's in 2024, shouldn' t we?

 

[PARAM]

I hope we got after a more explosive back and not re-sign Kyren. Love how hard he plays but I want a really explosive back ..... and no not the Ram that blew up the porta potty ......yes I know its greedy to wanna improve on Kyren but so what hahaha

I hope we've found an explosive back in Jarquez Hunter. And keep Kyren. Nobody in the NFL is better in the red zone.

 

[OldSchool]

Unfortunately this thread

 

[Tano]

Kyren is a grinder just like Bertlesen and Cappeletti were. I liked both Bertlesen and Cappeletti. They got quite a few carries too. And Cappeletti iirc was great in the red zone too.

But McCutcheon was the main back and I agree with a lot of posters that we need a main back and have Kyren complement him just like Cappeletti complemented McCutcheon.

Please forgive my spelling of names. Too lazy to look them up.

 

[Merlin]

Unfortunately this thread

That time of year.

 

[fearsomefour]

Two things work against me agreeing with this take.

1. Kyren needs to demonstrate he can fix the fumbles. If they pay him a team friendly deal and he fumbles, that team friendly deal will be unpalatable for the depth player he becomes.

2. Rams have two other RBs to look at in 2025. Corum has potential to carry the rock as a featured back who lacks getup. Hunter may be able to take the job outright if he can come in camp with a full grasp of the scheme.

If Kyren wins the job in camp and shows he can secure the rock then by all means lock him up.

If Kyren cannot secure the rock then it's a good thing you didn't sign him. And now the question is whether either of those other two can consistently move the offense.

Lastly McVay is fucking weird with backs. I've never liked how he handles them. This is the first time he's spent an effort in building the depth chart at the position. He forgets about them in game too. So his respect for Kyren matters. But none of that changes the fact Kyren needs to show he can fix the fumbling problem.

McVay can get, as we've seen over and over, tunnel vision with his players, positions and play calling.
That doesn't mean there isn't good reason for it......but, also a good reason so many play callers (who are not head coaches so have the luxury) being up in the booth and away from the noise of the sideline and game management.