Kyren Williams is neither holding out nor holding in while he negotiates a new contract during training camp with the Los Angeles Rams.
The former Pro Bowl running back reported to camp as scheduled Tuesday at Loyola Marymount University, and he’ll participate in practice this week instead of sitting out while his agent works on his deal. Williams also said he’ll stay in uniform if the negotiations, which have produced progress in recent sessions, still stretch into his fourth regular season.
“For me, there was no decision,” Williams said. “I play football. That’s what I love. … Being here right now is a no-brainer, because I’ve got people I’ve got to take care of. Putting my feet on the grass is the only way I know how to do that.”
The Rams will meet again with agent Drew Rosenhaus on Wednesday as they continue to work toward a long-term deal with Williams, the Notre Dame product and boyhood Rams fan from St. Louis. Williams has rushed for 2,582 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 464 yards receiving and five more TDs over three seasons as a versatile producer in Sean McVay’s offense.
“There’s definitely been progress from when we started at OTAs to where we’re at now,” Williams said. “I don’t know when it’s going to get done. For now, it’s just time for me to be present where my feet are at. … I want to play for the Rams. That’s who I want to stay with, and I know it will work out.”
Williams has been the Rams’ starting running back for the past two years, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2023 while finishing third in the league with 1,144 yards rushing despite playing in only 12 games. He had career highs of 1,299 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns last season.
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The Rams have repeatedly said they want to keep Williams even though they’ve used fairly high picks on running backs in each of the past two drafts, adding Blake Corum in the third round in 2023 and trading up to pick Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round last April.
“We have gotten closer,” McVay said of the Rams’ negotiations with Williams. “Haven’t got the deal across the finish line, obviously. And (Williams) has done everything that he can control that makes you want to say, ‘Let’s try in good faith to figure this out for this guy,’ because he’s representing all the things that are right about the Rams, and the way he plays, his spirit, his mindset, what he is as a teammate, how he responds to adversity, the physical and mental toughness, it means a lot, and I love this guy and love what he stands for and what he’s about.”
Williams made some changes in the offseason to prepare for his contract year. He hired a chef whose meals have him feeling “alive and vibrant … I wake up every single morning and I’m just full of energy.”
Williams is also working on his grip strength after his regular weight workouts. He fumbled five times during the regular season — tied for the second-most by a running back — and again in the postseason, putting a damper on his numbers.
Williams said he had no interest in holding out because of his teammates and their potential. The Rams hope to be Super Bowl contenders after winning the NFC West and stretching eventual champion Philadelphia to the limit in their second playoff game.
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“Seeing the squad that we have, it’s like, yo, from top to bottom, from special teams to offense to defense, we are stacked,” Williams said. “We’ve got people who know what it is to be here as a Ram and play here as a Ram. We’ve got people who are like-minded, people that go to work. People who are playing for each other and not just an individual.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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