Rams GM Les Snead hopes to re-sign Kyren Williams: 'We all want this to work out'
Rams running back Kyren Williams stiff arms Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum during the Rams' wild-card playoff win in January. The Rams are meeting with Williams' agent this week.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)Kyren Williams is not an agenda item for owners at the NFL annual meeting.
But talks with the agent for the Rams running back are on general manager Les Snead's and vice president Tony Pastoors' to-do list here in the next few days.
Williams, a three-year veteran who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons, is eligible for an extension.
We all want this to work out," Snead said Monday. It's just, can we agree upon a, let's call it, a contract where we both feel like it's a win-win."
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Williams, who will turn 25 in August, last season rushed for a career-best 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The 2022 fifth-round draft pick from Notre Dame is scheduled to earn about $5.4 million in salary in the final year of his rookie contract, according to Overthecap.com.
We would definitely like to engineer a long-term partnership with Kyren," Snead said.
Williams said in February that he did not want to play for any team other than the Rams.
I hope that we can get that done," he said.
The Rams and agent Drew Rosenhaus have exchanged initial contract terms, Snead said. Now they will meet in person.
Hopefully, you'll know pretty quick - is this something we can get done in the here and now? Or do we have to ... wait and see how the movie ends," Pastoors said. But we'll see what they say, but we're open for business."
Last year, the Rams were in a similar situation with linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who started for a Super Bowl-champion team as a rookie and ascended to team captain.
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The Rams and Jones' representatives exchanged proposed terms, Snead said. But the Rams made it clear last offseason that they wanted Jones to play out the final year of his rookie contract.
The Rams traded Jones to the Tennessee Titans a week before the season opener.
So it remains to be seen how the situation plays out for Williams, who is expected to be an integral part of an offense that features quarterback Matthew Stafford, receivers Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Tutu Atwell and an experienced offensive line.
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," Snead said.
Etc.Snead declined to specify the terms of Stafford's adjusted contract. Last year, the Rams moved money Stafford was due in 2025 to 2024. ... Snead on the decision to move on from receiver Cooper Kupp, without negotiation: To be frank, we did make a decision that is probably best to say, Let's part ways. Let's go in different directions. Let's begin next chapters versus trying to come up with let's call it some version of a win-win or trade off.'" ... As part of its Global Markets Program, the NFL awarded the Rams international marketing rights to the United Arab Emirates. The program was started in 2022 to raise brand awareness and fandom beyond the U.S., through fan engagement, events, commercial opportunities and NFL Flag development," the NFL said. The Rams also have rights in Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and New Zealand.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.