When the Los Angeles Rams learned that the 2025 NFL Draft was bursting with talent at the tight end, defensive tackles, and running back positions, the team shopped in the 2025 NFL Free Agency market forf defensive tackles and running backs. Or, at least that is the early impression. The team has signed devastatingly effective NT Poona Ford, and now has added a running back to the offense.
There are many titillating runners just itching to carry the football in the NFL. Unfortunately, they are unlikely to get the chance with the Rams this season. The team just added a fourth running back, extending a player from 2024.
He should be familiar with you, as it's veteran RB Ronnie Rivers. And he just returned to the Rams roster for the 2025 NFL season
In 2024, the Rams roster held four running backs. But the team seems paralyzed at how to deploy all four players. The team featured RB Kyren Williams again, but he was not nearly as efficient at carrying the football as in 2023. Despite carrying the football 88 more times in four more games, he only gained 155 more yards and two more touchdowns. Unfortunately, he also fumbled the football two more times, reaching an alarming five fumbles on the season. Some have even argued that an additional fumble by Williams in the Divisional Round of the 2025 NFL Playoffs was the straw that broke the Rams' backs, allowing the Eagles to win the game.
Ronnie Rivers carried the football three times in the playoffs for eight yards.
While Rivers checks all of the boxes for a backup running back in the Rams offense, that did not stop the team from spening a valuable Round 3 pick on RB Blake Corum. Corum's rookie season was disappointing, as the Rams struggled to get him onto the football field.
Rivers return suggests that the team is still not sold on Blake Corum as the primary backup to Kyren Williams. For that matter, his return throws a curveball at the team's strategy for the enitre running back room. With a draft loaded with starting-caliber rookie prospects, why would the Rams saturate the running back room? Either the Rams love who they have at the position, or are not enchanted with the possibility of adding anyone else to the team as that position.
I like Ronnie Rivers, and believe that he will be a solid contributor once more to the Rams offense in 2025. I am simply confused and a bit dismayed as to what his return means for the offense overall.
As always, thanks for reading.
