Kyren Williams extension quietly opens up a more unpredictable Rams offense

As soon as the Los Angeles Rams reportedly agreed to extend feature running back Kyren Williams, there were understandably many reports that assessed what it all meant to the team, and what it all meant to his teammates. It even set the stage for the next Rams extension, as well as how the team may prepare for the post-Matthew Stafford era.

But to an offense that needs to become explosive, score more points, and finally do a better job of giving a modest return on such an investment, several questions remain.

The Rams know that Williams is a professional who conducts himself very well both in the locker room and on the football field. And whenever he has the football in his hands, he is a threat to punch it into the end zone.

Despite all the hoopla and euphoria over Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley, Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry, and even San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey, Williams has the most total touchdowns over the past two seasons.

And before anyone cries about missed games and injuries, Williams has appeared in just 28 of a possible 34 regular-season games. So he may have left many more scores on the table.

While that is all well and good, does it do much for the Rams in 2025? For an offense that desperately needs to improve its ability to score, it's an excellent step in the right direction. But even more than that, it sets up the offense for a number of new strategies.

Rams offensive playbook can add several new chapters for 2025

The offense has become a bit stagnant in recent years. With the team's reliance upon veteran WR Cooper Kupp, the offense was both predictable and a bit complacent. But with the transition in 2025, the need to reinvent ways to score and advance the football becomes necessary. With that said, here are just a few ways they can adapt and grow:

LA has the weapons to run 12 personnel

Have you seen the talent and depth of the Rams roster right now? While the team will be forced to shrink the number of tight ends before the regular season, the team currently boasts:

• Tight End: Tyler Higbee | Colby Parkinson | Davis Allen | Terrance Ferguson (out) /Anthony Torres / Mark Redman

The team did not have the benefit of either Tyler Higbee or rookie Terrance Ferguson. With Williams in the backfield (and pleased with a new multi-year contract), it's time to give him some help in advancing the football. And to do that, getting two tight ends on the football field is the right way to go.

The team has too much talent to consistently limit to just one tight end. Likewise, the team committed up to four roster slots for the tight end position. That is far too heavy an investment to make in a role that is typically meted out to one player per offensive snap.

The Rams could use a two-back system

In the offseason, Rams HC Sean McVay admitted to being very intrigued with the offensive innovations introduced in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense by former Rams OC Liam Coen. One such wrinkle was deploying a two-running back formation, or a 21-personnel, that gave their offense the chance to feature two running backs in the same play.

The Bucs used 21-personnel packages on 6.2 percent of their offensive snaps last season. Conversely, the Rams never used a 21-personnel package in 2024. But if you look over the Rams depth chart at running back this season, you see plenty of talent.

• Running Back: Kyren Williams | Blake Corum | Jarquez Hunter | Ronnie Rivers / Cody Schrader / Jordan Waters

It makes a lot of sense to get rookie RB Jarquez Hunter on the football field with his speed and power. So the Rams could plan to place both Kyren Williams and Jarquez Hunter in the same backfield. Hunter gets offensive snaps, while Williams can expand his versatility by becoming a frequent target in the passing game.

The offense may be sticking with modestly fast Kyren Williams, but this is a team that has fast weapons on the offense as well. WR Tutu Atwell, WR Xavier Smith, and RB Jarquez Hunter are all swift NFL players who could supercharge the offense in 2025. As long as the offense has someone to set them up to break away, that is.

And that steady-freddie contribution by Williams does exactly that. His ability to move the chains and punch it in for a score allows the Rams to experiment with a bit of innovation and chicanery. The Rams need to score more points this season. With their franchise back extended, new chapters can be written to enable the team to do so.

With Williams signed through 2028, the team has ensured the offense has a reputable weapon who knows how to score touchdowns. At some point in the not-too-distant future, that will be vital as the team transitions to life after QB Matthew Stafford. Thankfully, the life-after-Kyren-Williams chapter is around the bend.

As always, thanks for reading.