With injuries decimating a number of the Los Angeles Rams’ skill position players, head coach Sean McVay had one consistent player to turn to for offensive production and that was running back Kyren Williams.
Williams was outstanding in his third season as he rushed for 1,299 yards while adding another 34 receptions and totaled 16 touchdowns overall. And now, after two consecutive excellent seasons, Williams is looking for a contract extension that will pay him what he is worth.
The Rams have been in discussions with Williams and his agent Drew Rosenhaus throughout the offseason and McVay believes there is good progress being made in the talks.
“Yeah, I think first of all, Drew has been out outstanding,” McVay said at Rams OTAs. “I think the dialogue has been really healthy and the one thing about these negotiations is trying to be able to figure out, alright, where is that line that that fits what everybody wants to be able to get done? And we all know how much we love Kyren. Drew’s got a responsibility. I think his communication’s been excellent and Kyren has been the same stud that we know, great demeanor, great willingness to come out here to work, to be able to get better.
“He’s been great in terms of our communication. It means a lot just because you don’t minimize those things are real and those are real things that guys have to navigate. You want to make sure that you’re asking the right questions, giving them opportunities to be able to give you that feedback and just keep the communication lines open. Hopefully we’ll see where this goes, but I think it’s been really healthy and positive progress for sure.”
Williams has increased his yards and touchdowns in each of his three NFL seasons and, while his YPC went down in Year 3, that was due in large part to teams stacking the box as the Rams passing game was hampered due to injury. Even still, Williams constantly delivered when called upon and a big payday should be headed his way.
The running back position has been devalued over the years with many teams being reluctant to pay them big money, but Williams has earned it. He will be just 25 years old when the 2025 season begins so he has plenty of good years left and the Rams should have no issues investing in him for the future.
For his part, Kyren Williams is also ‘feeling good’ about an extension with the Rams getting done and feels it will happen in time. The back added that he would love for the deal to get done so he can take care of his family, and will continue to put in the work necessary to make it happen.
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The first training camp practice of the year didn't get off to a roaring start for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In a video posted by SteelersWRobbie on X, Rodgers can be seen getting intercepted by inside linebacker Patrick Queen while targeting wide receiver DK Metcalf on the first pass of team drills at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. Prior to that, however, Rodgers got in plenty of work with Metcalf without any defenders on the field as the pair continues building chemistry. While Rodgers throwing a pick on his first official attempt of camp isn't a good omen, it doesn't signal any impending struggles during what's likely to be the 41-year-old's final season of his career. The four-time MVP is still adapting to his new surroundings, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if he were to be a bit behind schedule as things get underway in camp. To liken the situation to baseball, it's rare to see pitchers have their best stuff or throw at maximum velocity in spring training. The same goes for Rodgers in this case, as it's unreasonable to expect that he'd be at the top of his game right off the bat. Though Metcalf's initial target from Rodgers as teammates produced a negative result, the pair should connect with regularity throughout the season. They held a throwing session at UCLA shortly after Metcalf was dealt to Pittsburgh from the Seattle Seahawks in March, and he was among the Steelers receivers who joined Rodgers for a workout in Malibu earlier this offseason. During an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" in June, Rodgers revealed that Metcalf was a major factor in him deciding to sign with the Steelers following his release from the New York Jets. "DK is a lead-by-example guy, and he's a big reason why I'm in Pittsburgh as well," Rodgers said. "Conversations that we had, and just the kind of person that he is." Rodgers, who threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns with the Jets last season, owns the lowest interception percentage in league history at 1.4, so Steelers fans shouldn't expect to see too many mistakes from the future Hall of Famer this season.
The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be active ahead of the trade deadline, and one glaring need stands out above the rest: find a new center fielder. Philadelphia’s current outfield mix of Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler, and Johan Rojas has underwhelmed, sending the president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, to the trade market to find an upgrade. While a long-term solution like Boston’s Jarren Duran or even a rental like Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins would be ideal, the Phillies may pivot toward a cheaper option. One name gaining traction is New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, who CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa predicts the Phillies to acquire in a three-team trade at the deadline. "The Phillies badly need an outfielder. A center fielder, preferably," wrote Axisa. "The Yankees are rumored to be open to moving one of their three non-Aaron Judge outfielders (Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez) for a badly needed third baseman.” Axisa continues by explaining how a trade between the Phillies, Yankees, and Minnesota Twins could fulfill each team’s deadline needs. “The Phillies and Yankees don't match up well for an outfielder-for-third baseman trade, which is where the Twins come in. Rental Grisham for rental (Willi) Castro makes no sense for Minnesota. If they're selling, they won't want a rental. They'll want controllable young players, so a three-team trade in which Grisham goes to Philadelphia, Phillies prospects go to Minnesota, and Castro goes to the Yankees could be in the cards." Grisham is in the middle of a career year, already tying a personal best in home runs (17) and posting a career-high .833 OPS. For Philadelphia, acquiring the left-handed hitter would almost be perfect, outside of a blockbuster deal for the aforementioned Jarren Duran. The Phillies would replace Kepler in the lineup with Grisham and shift Marsh from center to left field, adding depth to the outfield in the process. Moreover, Grisham, an impending free agent, wouldn’t disrupt the club’s long-term plan for top prospect Justin Crawford to take over center field in 2026. He wouldn’t crowd an already packed outfield full of players vying for roles, either. While the move could further agitate Kepler—who’s already criticized manager Rob Thomson over limited playing time—the Phillies must act now. With their World Series window closing, they must capitalize on every opportunity to strengthen the roster.
As training camps begin around the NFL, the grand picture of positional rooms is starting to take shape. But not every team is finished making moves. In particular, one veteran is inching closer to transforming the wide receiver room for one lucky franchise. Veteran wideout Keenan Allen is still on the market as we head into the final month of the offseason and is ready to make his presence felt. The long-time Charger has reportedly been "waiting for training camps to open to assess the landscape better and get a clearer picture of each team's wide receiver situation." NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that Allen "has drawn interest from multiple teams in recent weeks." Months after his departure from the Chicago Bears, the free agent may finally be finding a new home. The 12-year NFL veteran has accumulated over 10,000 yards in his career, along with 59 touchdowns. In his lone season with the Bears in 2024, Allen tallied 744 yards and seven TDs. Even at 33 years old, the nimble receiver is capable of big plays. Allen has repeatedly dominated from the slot and racked up yardage operating in the middle of the field. He is as savvy as they come and a true mastermind in the NFL. There are numerous potential fits for Allen around the NFL. Namely, a reunion with either his most recent team, the Bears, or his long-time home in Los Angeles is not out of the picture. Chicago Bears The Bears are banking on breakouts from the 2024 first-round receiver Rome Odunze and 2025 second-round pick Luther Burden III to fill out their receiver room. If the Bears deem either of the two not ready, Allen could return. Los Angeles Chargers Similarly, the Chargers are relying on 2023 first-round selection Quentin Johnston and rookie Tre Harris to carry a significant portion of the load in Los Angeles. Like the Bears, if these youngsters aren't ready, Allen could come in and serve as a stopgap. New England Patriots Outside potential reunions, a selection of wide receiver-needy franchises remain as strong options. First, the Patriots have long sought help at receiver in recent years. Despite bringing Stefon Diggs this offseason, Allen could be added to help assist second-year quarterback Drake Maye in 2025. Pittsburgh Steelers Another potential destination resides in Pittsburgh. As the Steelers have loaded up on veteran talent as they push for a better season in 2025, Allen could start right away and push for a deep playoff run in the AFC. San Francisco 49ers Lastly, a name to watch for Allen's talents in the 49ers. The Niners have placed both Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall on the PUP list. Meanwhile, standout receiver Jauan Jennings has been holding out for a new contract. Things could get ugly in San Francisco in an instant; if they do, Allen would be the best possible option for them to bolster the unit.
New York Jets fans understandably panicked when it was learned on Thursday morning that quarterback Justin Fields was carted off the practice field with an apparent lower right leg injury. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t Kevin Patra) later reported that "the initial diagnosis is that Fields suffered a dislocated toe," which isn't his big toe. ESPN's Rich Cimini offered more positive news regarding the situation, claiming that a source revealed "that the injury is not considered significant and that the quarterback should not be sidelined for long." The Jets signed Fields to a two-year, $40M deal with $30M guaranteed in March to be their starting QB after he spent last summer competing with Russell Wilson for the Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 1 gig. Fields went 4-2 as Wilson spent the first six weeks of the 2024 season recovering from a lingering calf problem before Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin started Wilson from Week 7 through the wild-card round of the playoffs. The Jets can escape Fields' contract as soon as next offseason, meaning backup Tyrod Taylor theoretically could give first-year head coach Aaron Glenn something to think about by performing well in Fields' absence. Gang Green opens the regular season with a home game against the Steelers on Sept. 7. "I think the most important part is, if anything does happen to Justin, I don't think there's any drop-off as far as what we want to do when it comes to play," Glenn said on Thursday about having to turn to Taylor temporarily. If Fields' injury is worse than feared, the Jets could give the Cleveland Browns a call about the status of Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Cleveland is expected to carry rookie signal-callers Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel on the active roster through September, meaning either Flacco or Pickett could be deemed surplus by the end of the preseason.
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