Are Kyren Williams and Blake Corum enough to keep Rams from seeking out other options?
Teams don’t fear Kyren Williams and the Rams don’t play Blake Corum. So with running backs like Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley thriving on their new teams (potentially en route to a Super Bowl matchup), will L.A. be open to replacing or complementing Williams and Corum with a proven option?
According to Next Gen Stats on NFL Pro, the Rams have a “stacked box” (eight or more defenders in the box) on 12.6% of their rushing plays, which is the LOWEST mark in the NFL.
By comparison, the 49ers lead the NFL with a stacked box rate of 34.3%, followed by the Ravens at 29.2% and the Bills at 28.2%. The Eagles are fifth at 26.9%.
We’ve Established: The Rams have the most room to run and the Ravens have the 2nd-least amount of room to run
Rams Results: Kyren Williams is averaging 3.7 yards per carry
Their Results: Derrick Henry (6.1 YPC) and Saquon Barkley (5.9 YPC) are MVP candidates
Yes, Williams has scored 10 more touchdowns on his career resume, but he’s also fumbled twice (3 fumbles last year), he’s 36th in the NFL in yards after contact per rush (2.9, same as Kareem Hunt), and he doesn’t possess any elite athletic traits. Compare his stats to Tony Pollard, another free agent signing this year but one less heralded than Henry and Saquon: 622 rushing yards, 4.4 YPC, no fumbles, 4.0 yards after contact per run (2nd in the NFL).
If Kyren Williams is good enough to start with the Rams, what could Sean McVay’s offense look like with a running back who is good enough to start…in the Pro Bowl? By that I mean, like if the Pro Bowl was a real game that had merit and actually went to the top 3-5 players in the NFL at their position, not the actual Pro Bowl.
Kyren Williams is legitimately bad at every part of playing RB in the NFL and yet the Rams refuse to sit him down.
Meanwhile, Blake Corum, their 2nd round pick, wastes away on the sideline.
— Joe (@JoeA_NFL) November 3, 2024
But OFFENSIVE LINE!!!
Yes, it’s true that having a great run blocking offensive line helps to have a great run game, the Rams would need to go out and upgrade all their offensive line positions…
OH WAIT, THEY DID.
The Rams have invested heavily into the offensive line, they have an elite play caller, and they have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Look at what Henry has done for Lamar Jackson and what Saquon has done for Jalen Hurts. It could help to have a mobile QB instead of Matthew Stafford, but it’s not like teams have any reason to stack the box when the running back is Kyren Williams and that closes the potential lanes and pockets for Stafford to throw into.
But BLAKE CORUM!!!
The Rams did draft Corum in the third round, but what can be said about a player who doesn’t play? If he played, we could have an opinion on if he’s going to be really good. He doesn’t play, so how can anybody know?
The Free Agents
There isn’t a Henry or a Saquon, but there could be someone like a Josh Jacobs, another free agent acquisition in 2024.
The best names that are set to hit the market: James Conner, Najee Harris, A.J. Dillon, Nick Chubb, Javonte Williams, JK Dobbins, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Aaron Jones
Others will be released, possibly even traded. Could the Jets put Breece Hall on the market if they feel they have other needs and are satisfied with Braelon Allen?
Who knows what the Rams could do or how much Les Snead and McVay agree that the Rams need to do anything other than Kyren and Blake. However, with teams going smaller and smaller on defense to try and get to the passer and cover slot receivers, the names that seem to be the most dominant are Henry and Saquon.
Do the Rams feel like running backs matter?
