“I just started thanking the Lord because, man, it was a feeling I’ll never forget,” Williams said, per Wyatt Miller of the Rams’ official website. When I called my mom, she just said, ‘I can’t stop crying.’ (That) made my eyes ball because I can feel it. I can feel it through the phone. I felt how she felt.
“This whole day is kind of surreal,” he said. “I’ll never forget this day, but this is the day that I kind of worked for my whole life. I knew I was going to be here. I didn’t know when. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be, but I’m here. And so I just want to say thank you to everybody that played a part in making it happen.”
The deal will make Williams the seventh-highest-paid running back in football, with an average annual salary of $11 million. Saquon Barkley ($20.6M), Christian McCaffrey ($19M), Derrick Henry ($15M), Jonathan Taylor ($14M), Alvin Kamara ($12.25M) and Josh Jacobs ($12M) are the only six making more per season at the position.
Williams has been extremely productive since taking over as the lead back for head coach Sean McVay. The 24-year-old has piled up consecutive seasons with over 1,100 rushing yards (1,144 and 1,299) and double-digit rushing touchdowns (12 and 14).
He provides explosiveness in the Rams’ running game while also being able to get the hard-earned yards in between the tackles. Not to mention Williams’ ability as a receiver out of the backfield and nose for the end zone, which has been a huge weapon for the offense.
This extension feels like the perfect number for both Williams and the Rams. The fifth-rounder has had to work for everything he’s gotten at the NFL level and was certainly deserving of a contract to put him among the game’s best running backs.
On the flip side, the Rams get their homegrown star locked up to a deal that very fairly slots him into their salary-cap picture for the future.
Blake Corum, their third-round pick (83rd overall) in 2024, could see more opportunity next season in a role to spell Williams when needed, which might serve as a positive to keep him fresh throughout the year. With the contract now settled, it all projects to be another productive season for Williams and the Rams offense in 2025-26.
