As players enter the fourth year of their rookie contracts, conversations around potential extensions start to heat up — especially when it comes to dynamic contributors on the offensive side of the ball.
However, teams must carefully evaluate which players are worth a second contract and which ones they’re willing to let walk in free agency, even if they’ve been valuable assets to the roster.
Rams ‘Working Through’ an Extension With Running Back Kyren Williams
Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead revealed that the team is in talks with a key player in Sean McVay’s system — someone who has been highly productive over the past two seasons after stepping into a leading role within the group.
Sean McVay said the Rams are scheduled to meet with Drew Rosenhaus, who represents RB Kyren Williams, today in Palm Beach. Yesterday, Les Snead said the Rams “would definitely like to engineer a long-term partnership” with Williams.
— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) April 1, 2025
“We would definitely like to engineer a long-term partnership with Kyren. Will we come to an agreement for an extension?” Snead said via NFL reporter Sarah Barshop. “Time will tell. … It doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate Kyren, but a lot of times because it’s early and there’s no real deadline, [it might be a longer process].”
Kyren Williams was the engine of the Rams’ offense last season, handling a league-high 43% of the team’s total touches, per ESPN Research. He rushed for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns on 316 carries, while also adding 34 receptions for 182 yards and two scores through the air.
Over the past two seasons, he recorded at least 12 touchdowns and 1,100 yards, with more than 220 touches in both years. The workload given to Williams stems from his consistency and ability to score in the red zone — producing efficiently even in smaller sample sizes, as was the case in 2023, when he played just 12 games.
The Los Angeles offense was inconsistent throughout the 2024 season, experiencing frequent highs and lows. They finished 12th in the PFSN Offensive+ Metric when combining regular season and playoff performances. In the crucial playoff matchup against Philadelphia, Kyren Williams even lost a fumble in the fourth quarter that proved costly for the Rams down the stretch.
How Much Would the Rams Pay in an Extension?
Over the past two years, the stigma surrounding paying running backs has loosened somewhat. Christian McCaffrey received an extension from the San Francisco 49ers following their Super Bowl run, and Saquon Barkley did the same. In both cases, the players were still under contract, meaning the extensions came with pay raises.
For a player with solid production like Kyren Williams, everything will hinge on how he performs in 2025 — and whether the Rams decide to get ahead of the curve with an early extension.
Currently, Barkley leads all running backs in average annual salary at $20.6 million, followed by McCaffrey at $19 million and Jonathan Taylor at $14 million per year.
After that, only Alvin Kamara, Josh Jacobs, and James Conner remain in the $10+ million per year range. Williams’ negotiation will likely fall somewhere between that tier and Taylor’s number.
The Los Angeles Rams made significant moves in 2025, adding veteran wide receiver Davante Adams to complement an offense already featuring Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams, while keeping Matthew Stafford in place under center.
Williams is a crucial piece in Sean McVay’s system, and if he enters the season without a new deal, that could serve as the motivation that drives him all year long.