Rams should have done more at RB in wake of Kyren Williams injury

One of the biggest holes on the Los Angeles Rams’ roster heading into the offseason was a lack of depth at running back. Instead of signing a veteran to pair with Kyren Williams in 2024, general manager Les Snead waited until the NFL Draft to address the position. Snead’s lack of urgency became more glaring after it was announced that Williams is expected to miss the rest of OTAs with a foot injury.

Thankfully, the injury doesn’t appear to be too serious as Sean McVay believes the All-Pro will be ready for training camp.

Regardless of the severity of the injury, the Rams could not have been more ill-prepared at running back. Sure, taking Blake Corum in the third round was smart, yet it might have been too little, too late. Outside of Corum, LA has veteran rusher Boston Scott and rotational backs Ronnie Rivers and Zach Evans fighting for roster spots. Neither of those three should inspire much confidence if when Williams gets injured again.

After last season, there is no way the front office thought they were in the clear with the depth they have at RB. Given Kyren’s physical playing style and the physicality of the position in general, an injury to one of the team’s top playmakers should have been anticipated much better than it was. Williams has seen stints on IR in back-to-back years to begin his NFL career. His availability will always remain a concern until proven otherwise.

It’s not like I was pushing for the Rams to spend big on one of the top free agent running backs. I also wasn’t pushing for LA to add a key veteran as a “replacement” to Williams. All I wanted was for the front office to add more depth in the likely event that Kyren went down. Plus the team likely pinning all its hopes on Corum to carry the load is putting too much pressure on the rookie back, no matter how capable he may be. Williams missing time is unfortunately becoming an annual tradition.

Let’s not kid ourselves, Kyren Williams remains the best running back option on the roster. However, absolutely no one should expect him to play a full season given the nagging injuries he seems to suffer through. The current available free agent options are sparse and Snead might want a do-over following his lackadaisical attitude at RB this offseason.