49ers extension may be future boilerplate for LA Rams contract for this player

LA Rams feature running back Kyren Williams sprang from nowhere to become a formidable force in the team's offense in 2023. Will he become a one-hit wonder? Or did Williams' ability to put up 1,144 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in only 12 games last season signify a coming of age? After all, it was not so long ago that the Rams believed in running back Cam Akers, a rusher who exploded onto the scene in his rookie season in 2020. But due to a devastating Achilles Tendon injury the following year, that faith never panned out.

Williams has been handed the baton in the post-Cam Akers ground game, and as long as he is healthy enough to suit up, he has decimated NFL defenses. Not only did Williams average 5.0 yards for every time he carried the football in 2023, but he averaged one rushing touchdown per game. Those are very impressive numbers for a running back's first meaningful NFL season.

As a bonus, Williams caught 32 of 48 passes for another 206 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Of the teams 44 offensive touchdowns, running back Kyren Williams was responsible for more than 33 percent of those scores. it behooves the team to keep Williams as healthy as possible in 2024.

Financial focus on the horizon

Curiously, Kyren Williams completed his second year under his rookie contract, which means that he is at the mid-point of his contractual obligation with the team. In 2026, the Rams and Williams' representation will need to sit down and hammer our a new contract, or some other team will likely do so to add the explosive running back to their roster to help power their offense.

Whichever team manages to sign him will almost certainly use the latest extension agreed to between the San Francisco 49ers and their star running back, Christian McCaffrey. The latest contract was ratified at the beginning of June 2024 and has reversed the trend of NFL teams offering less to their star runners than had been the case in previous years:

Now the thing is, what impact will that have on the Rams future negotiations with Williams?

Some disclaimers are in order

Keep in mind that the LA Rams front office pursued a trade for Christian McCaffrey at the trade deadline during the 2022 NFL season, narrowly missing out to the 49ers with the Carolina Panthers. As a result, the Rams were forced to turn to their own roster to develop Williams to become the offensive powerhouse in 2023.

Also keep in mind that while Williams is entering his third NFL season, McCaffrey is about to compete in his ninth NFL season. We should also mention that McCaffrey's 2023 production was his career best, and was even better than his third NFL season in which he put his stamp on rushing excellence for the Carolina Panthers.

But also beware. Of his eight NFL seasons, Christian McCaffrey has only played a full NFL season four times. Even in 2023, the 49ers held him out of the season finale to rest him for the upcoming 2024 NFL Playoffs.

As of today, Kyren Williams has not earned the mega-deal that the 49ers inked with McCaffrey. But if he turns in two more seasons of incredible rushing and receiving, he will absolutely put himself into prime location to sign on with a huge new contract and the elite NFL star compensation that comes with it. Of course, that is two years ahead in the future. But if you like to stay aware of things to come, this is a solid bit of information to put on your radar screen.

Williams has millions of incentives to put up incredible rushing numbers over the next two seasons. After all, he is chasing his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow too.

Thanks for reading.