As training camp approaches, the Los Angeles Rams are walking a fine line with star running back Kyren Williams. With contract extension talks ongoing but no deal finalized, the franchise is gambling with a player who has become one of the NFL’s most productive and indispensable offensive weapons.
It’s been nearly a month since the Rams last provided a substantive update on negotiations. While coach Sean McVay has described the talks as “positive,” the language is strikingly similar to what was heard about linebacker Ernest Jones last offseason, just before he was traded. The stakes with Williams are higher. The Rams have not had this level of backfield stability since Todd Gurley, and they haven’t paid a back since Gurley’s deal aged poorly. That history, and fear of repeating it, may be the hesitation now.
Kyren Williams Deserves His Payday — And the Los Angeles Rams Are Taking a Risk by Waiting
But Williams has already earned his extension. Selected in the fifth round in 2022, Williams has blown past expectations, racking up back-to-back 1,100+ yard rushing seasons, 26 touchdowns, and a Pro Bowl nod. He also led all NFL backs with 15 rushing touchdowns in 2024 while being critical in pass protection, one of the likely reasons third-round rookie Blake Corum barely saw the field.
Spotrac estimates Williams’ market value at around $10 million annually. But his camp, led by veteran agent Drew Rosenhaus, is reportedly targeting a deal closer to the top-tier RB pay scale—in the $14-15 million range. In a market that saw Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey reset expectations, Williams’ numbers justify that ask.
But everything we know about the Rams (evoking Ernest Jones and other examples) points toward that number being unacceptable.
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Waiting could backfire. With players like Breece Hall, Isaiah Pacheco, and Kenneth Walker also up for new deals, the longer the Rams wait, the more the market could push Williams’ value up. The franchise risks either losing him in free agency or paying a steeper price after another All-Pro level season.
To his credit, Williams hasn’t let contract negotiations derail his offseason. He’s attended OTAs, led drills, and earned McVay’s public praise. “He’s been here, been leading, doing exactly what Kyren does,” said McVay. “We’ll see if there’s an opportunity to land that plane.”
Williams himself is staying optimistic. “I know it’s going to happen,” he told the L.A. Times. “Whether now or after the season, time will tell. I just have to control what I can every single day.”
The Rams should act before that optimism runs out—or before someone else outbids them for a player they can’t afford to lose.
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