Rams expanding role of RB Kyren Williams adds more mystery to roster build

When the LA Rams made the perilously difficult decisions over who to keep on the team roster and who to part ways with, there was more at play. You see, with 90 players on the team, the Rams were able to involve far more players in niche roles. But sending 37 players off the roster means that some of those roles held by niche players had to be reassigned to the remaining 53 players. And so, the consolidation process began as soon as the team had ended with their initial group of players.

In the process of redistributing roles, there is a delicate balance of getting the most 'bang for the buck,' on the roster, but also there is the overlying concern of not asking too much from one player. If that player suffers a lapse of production, whether by injury or other factor, the team is then scrambling to fill multiple roles.

Third-year veteran running back Kyren Williams didn't need more than 12 games in the 2023 NFL season to ensure that he ended up as the third most proficient rusher in the NFL. That's a good thing too, because 12 games was all the Rams could squeeze out of him. In fact, out of two seasons, with a potential of 34 games, Kyren Williams has suited up for 22, and started 11. That's a bit alarming, because those were first two, and theoretically healthiest, years of his NFL career. It was that fact that prompted the team to use a Round 3 pick to select rookie RB Blake Corum.

But now, in addition to his feature running back role, the teams will include punt returner? Call me skeptical.

If Williams had started every game for the team in 2023, I would be on board. But the team started last season with RB Cam Akers as the feature running back and then pivoted to Kyren Williams after, well . . . Akers got in the doghouse.

I'm not saying that Williams should never be the punt returner. But first things first, please? Let's see the guy put together a season in which he is not on IR for at least four games. The idea to drafting a solid rookie to spell Williams was to ensure he would be fresh for postseason competition, not to load him down with multiple roles.

The Rams can be a bit aggressive in their planning of using running backs. The team tried to make change-of-pace running back Darrell Henderson Jr. into an every down back, with disastrous results. It seems that the team is slow to learn those costly lessons.

I hope for the best but fear the worst with this move. The team has a huge number of players to choose to return punts. While I think Kyren Williams is a special running back, I have no reason to expect him to be as proficient in this newly assigned role.

As always, thanks for reading.