7 reasons why Rams should not rush into an extension for RB Kyren Williams

III - Can Rams blend Williams with another rusher?

The Los Angeles Rams offense does excellent work exploiting top performers. The challenge has never seemed to be finding a player or two at a position who flourish in this offense. The greater challenge has more often been getting more than one player to flourish. Rams GM Les Snead does a very commendable job at feeding talent to the Rams roster.

But not everyone finds an optimal level of work once they get here.

A perfect example was the pomp and ceremony that accompanied the Rams' investment of the 83rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft into former Michigan running back Blake Corum. Corum was the bell cow of the Wolverines' offense, the bread-and-butter guy who handles huge numbers of carries and wears down opposing defenses. And yet, the hope for a shared one-two punch workload in the Rams offense rapidly dissipated when the 2024 NFL season began. The Rams made no effort to integrate Corum into a rotational role in this offense beyond an occasional rest period for Williams.

II - What about economical veteran alternatives?

When the Rams front office staff sits down with Kyren Williams' representatives, the team will need to consider the financial implications of cutting a whopping check for Williams' services in the future. You see, Williams certainly deserves compensation for what he brings to the offense. But in the effort to reward Williams for his expertise, the team cannot allow that effort to lure the team into an overpay scenario.

Overpaying a player leads to disastrous results for both the team and player. In 2020, we took a closer look at the massive contracts executed by the team during and after their Super Bowl LIII appearance. The annual cost of players on the Rams roster in 2020 was:

• QB Jared Goff    –    $36,042,682
• DT Aaron Donald– $25,000,000
• RB Todd Gurley    – $17,250,000
• WR Brandin Cooks-$16,800,800
• CB Jalen Ramsey   -$13,703,000

One year later, only Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey were still with the team. High compensation for a player elevates the expectation from that player. Based on the team's experience in 2020 alone, those expectations are difficult to meet.

The annual free agency market is loaded with players who were viewed as underperforming by the executives and decision-makers from their former teams. That is not to say that they no longer have a place on an NFL roster. They simply need a contract that represents their fair market value.

For the running back position, many can be signed to a more economical contract than Kyren Williams.

There are several veteran free agent running backs who make sense for the Rams roster. If the team is reluctant to add another young running back to the team who will wilt on the bench, why not dabble in exploring what an accomplished and experienced veteran running back can add to this offense?