Former Notre Dame, current Los Angeles Rams RB Kyren Williams suffers broken foot
Before it even fully got underway, former Notre Dame running back Kyren Williams’ NFL career suffered a bit of a setback. On Tuesday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay announced the rookie rusher broke his foot in practice last week and underwent surgery.
He is expected to be back for Rams fall training camp, but he will miss other summer workouts, including a minicamp June 7-9.
Williams was drafted out of Notre Dame in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the No. 164 pick overall. The news of the foot injury comes just a day after the 5-9, 199-pound running back formally signed a four-year, $3.97 million contract with the Rams. Williams will sport his former Notre Dame number, No. 23, for Los Angeles.
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In 2021, Williams had 204 carries for 1,002 yards (4.9 yards per attempt), his second straight 1,000-yard season. Including his work in the passing game, Williams touched the ball a total of 246 times and racked up 1,361 total yards from scrimmage during his junior year. He scored a total of 17 touchdowns, 14 of which were on the ground.
A look at the Rams running back room
Williams will spend his first professional season with the reigning Super Bowl champions, and he has plenty of talent from which to learn. While the addition of Matthew Stafford at quarterback helped create one of the most dynamic passing games in the NFL last season, the Rams’ ground game was subpar. They averaged just 99 rushing yards per game and did not have a 1,000-yard back. Sony Michel was their leading rusher, but he is now with the Miami Dolphins.
At the top of Los Angeles’ running back depth chart currently is Cam Akers. The 2020 second-round pick and former five-star running back missed most of last season with a torn Achilles. He returned during Week 18 and played a notable role in the Rams’ postseason run, carrying the ball 67 times for 172 yards. Assuming he stays healthy, he is RB1 for the 2022 season.
Williams is the third back on the depth chart, coming in behind Darrell Henderson Jr. The 24-year-old former Memphis running back played in 12 games last year with 149 carries for 688 yards and five scores.
Jake Funk, a 2021 seventh-round pick out of Maryland, rounds out the running backs on the active roster. He saw action in 10 games last year but carried the ball just twice for five total yards.
