Rams RB Kyren Williams Impressing Matthew Stafford
The Los Angeles Rams have plenty of areas they want to improve on from last season, with one of the most crucial being their ground game.
L.A.'s ground game was wholly unspectacular in 2022, ranking No. 26 in the league with just 97.7 yards per game. Even that number is a bit deceiving, as the Rams averaged 156.7 yards per game in the final three games when they were already eliminated from the playoffs. Before those three games, the Rams averaged just 85.1 yards per game, which would rank second-worst in the league.
Whether the poor ground game was due the fault of the running backs, the offensive line or anyone else is debatable, but regardless of the cause, the Rams will be looking for much more this season. One player who could go a long way towards that goal is Karen Williams, a second-year back out of Notre Dame. The former fifth-round pick has reportedly been turning heads at training camp, including that of quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“I think Kyren Williams has done a really nice job in the backfield for us,” Stafford said on SiriusXM NFL radio. “A guy that probably not a lot of people know about but unfortunately had an injury last year during training camp, took him a little bit of time to get back. But he’s a guy in the backfield that when Cam [Akers] needs a breather, he’s gonna do a nice job for us both in the run game and pass game.”
Rams coach Sean McVay echoed Stafford's sentiments, emphasizing that Williams will play an important role in the offense.
"For Kyren to be able to spell Cam is gonna be really important... And I think like Matthew articulated, Kyren is a guy that we’re very confident in and we’re gonna continue to see, as we get closer and closer to opening against Seattle, what exactly those roles look like, but feel really good about both those guys,” McVay said.
As Stafford eluded to, Williams had his rookie season derailed with a pre-season injury. The injury in question was a broken foot, which sidelined the rookie back until November. In the 10 games he did play, Williams had 35 rushes for 139 yards along with nine receptions for 76 yards.
To see just what Williams can do, look no further than his time at Notre Dame. In his final two seasons with the Fighting Irish, Williams rushed for 2,127 yards while averaging over five yards per carry. He was also a receiving threat out of the backfield, with 77 receptions for 672 yards and four touchdowns in that same time.
With the recent and unexpected retirement of running back Sony Michel, the Rams will be counting on Williams to step up as the No. 2 back. If he can bring his outstanding college performance to the professional level, then that shouldn't be much of a concern.
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