Rams See Major Improvement In Key Area, Backfield Shakeup Now Expected

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But it isn’t just Corum’s running that has Rams coaches rethinking their backfield rotation. His biggest leap has come in pass protection, an area where Los Angeles demands excellence from its backs.

In 2024, Corum graded just 54.0 in pass blocking according to PFF — 62nd among NFL running backs. He logged only 17 pass-pro snaps across 17 games, and LAFB speculated that his struggles in protection were a key reason he couldn’t earn more playing time behind Williams.

So far in 2025, the difference is night and day. Corum owns an 80.0 pass-blocking grade, sixth-best in the NFL, and already has seven reps through just two weeks. For a team that leans heavily on its running backs to protect the quarterback — Kyren Williams led the league by a wide margin in pass-blocking snaps last season and appears headed for the same role this year — Corum’s improvement is more than just a bonus. It’s what allows McVay to keep him on the field in high-leverage situations.

A Changing Balance of Power?

Williams has long dominated Rams backfield snaps, playing 87 percent of the offensive plays in 2024 and over 80 percent in Week 1. But against Tennessee, that number dipped to 69.5 percent, with Corum claiming 30.5 percent of the snaps. McVay later said that split was “much more in alignment” with how he envisions the Rams deploying their backs this season.

For Rams fans, the comparison is impossible to ignore: Williams needed 13 carries to reach 33 yards. Corum topped that on his first three attempts. Combined with his newfound reliability in pass pro, the case for more touches becomes stronger.

A Long-Term Shift?

The idea of sharing touches between Williams and Corum isn’t new. Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur noted that spreading the workload could benefit both players — and the Rams as a whole.

“It benefits everyone to make sure that you’re not just wearing someone down or overusing somebody,” LaFleur said. “The plan is to split those up a little bit and distribute, whether it’s the run or the pass game. [Kyren’s] a team guy. He’ll do whatever’s asked. When his number’s called, we all know Kyren is going to show up on Sundays.”

Corum, meanwhile, has embraced his role as a learner and emerging playmaker.

“Everyone’s journey is different and I’m so thankful that this is the journey that I’m on, learning from a great running back like Kyren, having Coach [Ron Gould] teach me so much from last year and then going into Year 2,” Corum said. “But it felt great to get into the end zone today, and hopefully there’s many more to come.”

What Comes Next?

McVay now faces the classic coaching dilemma: ride the hot hand, or stick with his proven starter? Williams’ extension suggests the Rams see him as the long-term answer, but Corum’s burst and his transformation into one of the NFL’s better pass-protecting backs make it hard to ignore the possibility of a more even split moving forward.

Whether Corum’s workload grows against the Eagles in Week 3 remains to be seen. But if Sunday was any indication, the Rams’ backfield balance may finally be shifting — not because of contracts, but because Corum is earning trust in every phase of the game.