Rob Havenstein and 10 Rams who have plenty to prove in their contract year

(2) - Kyren Williams - RB

While it's true that the Rams offense seemed to run entirely through Kyren Williams in 2024, it's beter for both that team and the player to ease up a bit on that throttle in 2025. Williams is not built to handle almost all of the carries to this offense. And the Rams roster is starting to create a logjam behind Williams in terms of the number and quality of players beneath him on the depth chart.

Something has to give, and give quickly.

Complicating matters even further is the fact that the Rams are actively negotiating an extension with Williams. As long as Williams' salary demands are modest, and the Rams front office is honest in communicating with Williams that the team needs to get other running backs involved in the offense this year, everything should work out.

But there is the offseason rhetoric. Then there is the season game plan. Rams fans have learned that the two are not the same. Sometimes they are not even close. So while the team has an overabundance of talent at the running back position, the team has done little to redirect the number of offensive snaps or carries away from Williams.

But with the addition of powerful speedster Jarquez Hunter joining the team, the running back room has reached critical mass. Can the Rams return to the smolderingly successful running-back-by-committee approach that was better than you realized in 2020? The offense has to change the recent pattern. And that change of workload must be communicated and be baked into Williams contrat going forward.

If the Rams are going to win games thanks to a resurging offense. the offense has to harness more running backs. If Kyren Williams is okay with that, and okay with being paid to be part of that, by all means extend him.

(1) - Quentin Lake - DB

Can the Rams young safety Quentin Lake put up a season that iks so spectacular that is forces the Rams to do something they have hesitated to do, and offer him an extension? That is the multi-million dollar question right now. After all, Lake is one of the rookes who heard his name in the 2022 NFL Draft who has found success with the team.

Despite the fact that the first Rams selection in that draft was the 104th overall pick in Round 3.

Lake was the 211th overall selection in Round 6 of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he has skyrocketed to a starting role despite his modest start in professional football.

Lake is getting plenty of face time as the spokesperson of the Rams defense and secondary in the offseason, and that is due to the fact that he is a personable player who shows up well in podcasts and interviews. Curiously, he is the lone defender who was on the football field for all but 45 Rams defensive snaps in 2024. He sat out Week 18 as the team rested all starters.

Lake was good, but not necessarily great. He is an extremely versatile player who became a defensive chess piece to be used in a myriad of roles. He played safety, slot cornerback, linebacker, edge rusher and center field on defense. Despite his universal role on defense, he does need to improve in a number of areas.

While only allowing 65.1 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed, he allowed four touchdowns in 2024. Meanwhile, he recorded 111 tackles last season, but missed 10 tackles. He generated 2.0 quarterback sacks, but did not intercept a pass, and deflected just five passes.

The Rams love Lake, and there is plenty to love. Few if any defenses find so many roles for a defensive back over the course of the season. Still, is it due to the fact that Quentin Lake is just that good? Or is the defense experimenting placing him in various roles that might lead to a fit?

Hopefully, the Rams find his ideal fit in 2025. As always, thanks for reading.

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