As the Los Angeles Rams regroup for another season, they've already suffered a setback this early. According to head coach Sean McVay, running back Kyren Williams has a foot injury and won’t take part in the team's offseason program this spring. The RB is expected to be back for training camp, per insider Ian Rapoport.
Williams has been a key piece in LA's offense. A fifth-round pick in 2022, the 23-year-old spent three years with Notre Dame football before turning pro. Throughout his time with the Fighting Irish, Williams ran for a total of 2,153 yards and 27 touchdowns. Additionally, he had 675 receiving touchdowns and four additional scores.
Once he turned pro, Williams was a backup at first. He saw action in a total of 10 games, mainly playing behind Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr. It all changed during the 2023 season, when Williams was named a starter in the Rams' second game after scoring two touchdowns in the season opener.
He would see action as RB1 for the rest of the way, tallying a total of 1,144 rushing yards and 12 scores in 12 regular-season games. He added three receiving touchdowns in that span as well. From Weeks 12 up to 17, Williams had a six-game stretch where he tallied 5.25 yards per carry and 114.7 yards per game. When the Rams took on the New York Giants back in December, he scored a career-high three touchdowns.
Williams' regular-season showing earned him his first-ever Pro Bowl appearance.
Assuming Williams' recovery goes as planned, he's expected to be the team's starter once again. In the Rams' upcoming campaign, he'll have a promising backup in rookie Blake Corum, who was just drafted last month.
The Rams as of late
And looking at the team in general, the Rams seem poised to run it back for another playoff run. Aaron Donald may have called it a career, but LA still has vets such as Matthew Stafford and Cooper Cupp. Additionally, more growth is expected from their rising standouts. Besides Kyren Williams, a number of young players have cemented themselves as the next generation of Rams stars.
There's wideout Puka Nacua, who also appeared in his first Pro Bowl last season. A 22-year-old incoming sophomore, Nacua led the team in receiving yards (1,486) and receiving touchdowns (6) in 2023.
On the defensive side, linebacker Ernest Jones has been making his presence felt. Jones led the Rams in tackles last season (145 combined, 74 solo) while adding 4.5 sacks to his name.
Defensive tackle Kobie Turner can also be mentioned here. He finished the 2023 season with the most sacks (9) out of everyone on the roster.
Furthermore, the Rams have incoming rookies such as Jared Verse (DE), Braden Fiske (DT), and Corum. All in all, there's plenty to look forward to come September.
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