logo
Ex-Rams player picks RB Kyren Williams as a breakout star for 2025 season

Ex-Rams player picks RB Kyren Williams as a breakout star for 2025 season

USA Today06-03-2025

Ex-Rams player picks RB Kyren Williams as a breakout star for 2025 season Williams has rushed for more than 2,400 yards and 26 touchdowns since 2022.
One of the brightest spots of the Los Angeles Rams' 2025 season was the emergence of Kyren Williams as a marquee NFL running back. He put together his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season as the Rams' full-time starter and toted the rock more than 100 more times than he did a year ago.
But one former Rams player thinks that's only the beginning for Williams. D'Marco Farr, who played six seasons as a defensive tackle for the Rams from 1994 to 2000 and is now a contributor for NFL Network, said Williams will be even better in 2025.
"I'm going straight homer here ... but I am going with Kyren Williams," Farr said about his pick for the next new NFL star. "Hold on to the football, get a little more explosive — maybe Kyren Williams can be that new breakout star."
Farr referenced two knocks against Williams: turnovers and long runs. Williams fumbled the ball six times in 2025 (including once in the NFC Divisional round) and his 4.1 yards per attempt ranked 39th among running backs this past season. So while Williams can play well as a bell cow running back, he hasn't offered the same production as some of the best players at his position yet.
Williams will be 25 when the season starts, so his career is still very fresh. The Rams will reportedly discuss an extension for Williams before the 2025 season. He's been vocal about playing for the team for the rest of his career, too.
Rams could have a very different offense in 2025. While Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua are back, receivers Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell could all be playing for different teams next year. Williams remains a mainstay, though, and he will likely be leaned upon once more as the Rams look to repeat as NFC West champions.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tyler Loop is already putting his big leg on display as he works to replace Justin Tucker
Tyler Loop is already putting his big leg on display as he works to replace Justin Tucker

USA Today

time41 minutes ago

  • USA Today

Tyler Loop is already putting his big leg on display as he works to replace Justin Tucker

Tyler Loop is already putting his big leg on display as he works to replace Justin Tucker Ravens rookie kicker Tyler Loop has been booming 60 yard kicks and is having no problem adjusting to the NFL, per head coach John Harbaugh. Justin Tucker has an uncertain future in the NFL, and with his play diminishing, Baltimore decided to move on. The Ravens drafted a kicker for the first time in their 30-year history. Baltimore selected Arizona kicker Tyler Loop in the 6th round (No. 186 overall). Through three weeks of OTAs, Loop has looked like the best kicker on the roster, and he's left head coach John Harbaugh impressed by his big leg and efficiency. Loop went 6-9 on kicks from 50+ yards last season for the Wildcats and has arguably the biggest leg in this year's class, making a school record 62-yard field goal at Arizona and converting 63 of 80 career field goal attempts (83.8%). Tucker, 35, is a seven-time Pro Bowl player and the most accurate kicker in NFL history. He was the longest-tenured player on the Ravens and the last remaining player from their 2012 Super Bowl championship team.

Cowboys prioritize trench strength over skill flash
Cowboys prioritize trench strength over skill flash

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Cowboys prioritize trench strength over skill flash

Cowboys prioritize trench strength over skill flash originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Dallas Cowboys' draft wasn't sexy. It didn't spark fantasy buzz or light up national headlines. But it was proper, intentional, and calculated. Advertisement And it was a case of keeping up with the Joneses — not Jerry and Stephen, but the rest of the NFL. ... The teams that have already adapted to the modern landscape. Because football, like fashion, evolves. And if you're still dressing for last season, you'll get exposed. They didn't lie to us about the left tackle. At one point, it was the most valuable non-quarterback position in football. Franchise left tackles built dynasties, protected legends, and cashed generational checks. For a time, we were all right to believe it. But the league has changed and will continue changing. The spread took over. Then defenses adjusted — speed over size, chaos over control. precision over power. And slowly, the pressure point began shifting. No longer off the edge, but right into the quarterback's lap. Advertisement Interior disruption is now the dominant force. Left tackles still matter. But they're no longer "the thing.'' Right tackles are getting paid. Guards are getting weaponized. And teams are recalibrating how they build their front five. This is the NFL pendulum — and right now, it's swinging fast. So before panicking about Tyler Guyton's need to develop overnight … or wondering why Tyler Booker was taken when flashier names were on the board … It's worth asking: Are you watching football as it is — or as it used to be? From 2010 to 2019, the league saw a 21.2% increase in the usage of 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) and a 17.7% rise in shotgun snaps. That strategic shift pulled defenses into lighter, faster personnel — nickel has now become base. And that right there is well documented and spoken amongst the masses of CFB and NFL enthusiasts. But its what is now happening as a result of that widely understood "nickel" that is why we're here discussing this topic today. Advertisement Offenses creatively adapted and became what we know today as the "modern spread". Defenses then countered all of that speed and deception with speed and deception of their own. More double-a gap looks, rolled coverages, and simulated pressures were all designed to confuse the offense and most importantly it's quarterback and protection slides. The defensive counter is in full force and has seemingly peaked. Now suddenly, your front five had to do more than hold the line — they have to process chaos in real time too. That's why Tyler Booker made so much sense to us prior to the draft even taking place. Some of the league is still chasing and prioritizing perimeter skill, but Dallas looked inward. They doubled down on interior muscle. On tone-setters. Tyler Booker is exactly that, but even beyond that, he's cerebral. The football IQ is off the charts and his film is a reflection of that. Watch his highlights but pay specific attention to his prowess as the "help man" ... It's remarkable. Tyler Booker alongside Beebe and Smith isn't solely about just "being more physical". It's about solidifying the interior of the offensive line which has become subject to significant stress in recent history. Check our our conversation with Voch Lombardi above as we work through the concepts ... Advertisement For the Cowboys, it's not about hoping Guyton becomes Tyron Smith overnight. It's about building a unit that can function as one — and function under fire. That's why Brian Schottenheimer didn't just bring in one offensive line coach. He brought in two. That's one of the reasons why McCarthy is gone, and the run game is being rebuilt from the ground up. Because this is how you start running the football better. This is how you stop settling for 3.2 yards per carry in playoff losses. And this is how you punch back — when the pendulum swings. Related: From Scalpel to Sledgehammer: Cowboys Changing Identity Related: Cowboys Moves Predicted To Mean Most Physical Offense In NFL This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.

double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense
double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense

double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Imagine walking up to a poker table and watching two players push all their chips to the middle before the dealer even flips the cards. That's what a double A-gap mug is. A bluff, a bet, and a dare — all at once, except with linebackers. Advertisement Popularized by Mike Zimmer in the early 2010s, the double A-gap mug became a go-to for defensive coordinators who were tired of sitting back and letting opposing offenses dictate everything. The quarterbacks who were well-prepared mentally could show up on game day largely stress free and knowing exactly what to expect. The result of the game (or at the very least the success of the offense) largely boiled down to execution. It's a much different game now and this is one of the three most significant ways defensive coordinators are taking things in their own hands. Here's the setup: two linebackers hover right over the center, lined up directly in the A-gaps (the spaces between the center and each guard). They're just standing there — staring the quarterback down like bodyguards outside the club. Advertisement But here's the kicker: they might blitz. They might drop back. One might go while the other stays. Or they might just force the center to slide protection that way, opening up chaos elsewhere. It's stress. It's confusion. It's control. And it's why your interior offensive line better be as solid as your blindside tackle. And how do the Dallas Cowboys combat all of this? Three ways ... 1 - Trust in the intellectual acumen of QB Dak Prescott? Check. 2 - Invest in guard play. Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker? Double-check. 3 - Rely on the creative experience of new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, an offensive mind? We can't "check'' that box yet ... but we are hopeful. Advertisement In today's NFL, pressure doesn't always come off the edge. It comes right up the gut — sometimes disguised, sometimes delayed, and often times deadly. Defenses are no longer passive. They're aggressive. And that means the offense needs to be aggressive in fighting back. Related: NFL Is Ever-Evolving And The New Dallas Cowboys Are Changing to Keep Pace Related: Dak Still Developing' Quote Getting Twisted by Cowboys Haters This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store