The Los Angeles Rams are hoping to make a playoff run in 2025 while maximizing the potential of Matthew Stafford’s final years with the franchise. The quarterback was granted permission to see a trade earlier in the offseason before agreeing to a restructured contract to stay in LA. With that situation resolved, ensuring the team keeps Kyren Williams around for the duration of that Super Bowl window remains a priority.
Kyren Williams on the Verge of a Major Contract Extension After 26-Touchdown Breakout
Williams was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft after spending his college career at Notre Dame. He was buried on the depth chart in his rookie season, with Cam Akers as the Rams’ starter and Darrell Henderson Jr. taking secondary reps.
However, in 2023, the path was cleared for Williams to prove himself capable as the franchise running back. The Rams traded Akers to the Minnesota Vikings, and from Week 2, Williams became the starting running back for head coach Sean McVay’s squad.
Despite only playing in 12 games, 11 of which he started, Williams totaled 1,144 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in that breakout season. He caught another three touchdowns in the pass game and was recognized as a second-team All-Pro for his efforts.
2024 was more of the same, with the Rams running back recording 1,299 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns while playing in 16 games.
KYREN WILLIAMS FRONT FLIPS FOR THE TD 🔥
📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/B3woypwrfY— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
Williams is now entering the final season of his rookie contract, and as a fifth-round draft pick, he’s not yet been paid for the production he’s put out on the field. He secured a 4-year, $3.97 million rookie deal, and so far in his career, he’s made less than a million dollars per season with the Rams.
McVay seems to have been clear that he wants to keep his star running back around, and this week, Gary Klein of the LA Times reported an update on X.
Sean McVay indicated Rams and Kyren Williams have made progress toward possible extension. No update on Jalen Ramsey situation.
— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) June 17, 2025
Paying running backs has been a complex issue in recent years, and the Rams organization played a key role in that. Former franchise running back Todd Gurley was on a generational run of form when he received a four-year, $60 million extension in 2018. Injuries had already become a factor, and just one year into that contract, he was cut from the team.
LA will want to avoid taking more risks with the running back position, but they do want to keep their starting RB. McVay said on the first day of the teams minicamp in Maui, Hawaii that they were nearing a deal.
“We are getting closer to hopefully finding a conclusion to this,” McVay said. “Now, until that’s actually agreed upon from both sides, we’re really in the same boat. But behind the scenes, I think there’s been really good dialogue from [Williams’ agent] Drew [Rosenhaus], really good dialogue from Kyren and just his group overall.”
The Rams have been consistent with those conversations for several months now, with general manager Les Snead making a similar comment back in March.
“We would definitely like to engineer a long-term partnership with Kyren,” Snead said. “Kyren’s a great human, we all want this to work out, it’s just, can we agree upon a contract where we both feel like [it] is a win-win moving forward. And if it doesn’t happen this year, it doesn’t mean that Kyren’s not going to be a part [of the Rams] next year. It doesn’t mean we don’t do something a year from now.”
Evaluating the Market for a Williams Extension
Per Spotrac, Williams’ market value is set at $10.4 million per season. He is predicted to sign a three-year, $31 million contract extension.
Only seven players are currently averaging $10 million or more at the running back position. They are: Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathon Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Josh Jacobs and Aaron Jones.
Jones signed a two-year, $20 million extension with the Vikings this offseason, which is in line with the value predicted for Williams in LA. That said, this would be Kyren’s first extension, and he’s still just 24 years old, six years younger than Jones.
Securing Williams’ extension would solidify the Rams’ offensive core and send a clear message that the franchise is all-in on maximizing its championship window with Stafford leading the way.
