When the Los Angeles Rams fumbled away a potential win against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, it wasn’t just the ball that slipped — it was trust. With just over a minute left, Kyren Williams coughed it up at the 2-yard line, a devastating turnover that sealed the Rams’ fate. For most franchises, that would be enough to spark a backfield shake-up. But inside the building, the tone sounds far more measured.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Brock Vierra, who joined the Rams LAFB Show this week, “I anticipate zero changes to the running back room.” Despite a rising tide of criticism directed at Williams, the Rams appear intent on sticking with the rotation that has worked to this point — a 65-35 split between Williams and Blake Corum.
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Rams Staying Loyal to Williams
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Vierra didn’t sugarcoat the mistake, calling the fumble “inexcusable,” but also noted important context. “I will show grace to a guy who got punched in the face by a dude that’s 300 pounds and Alfred Collins,” he said. “Just because you wear a helmet doesn’t mean your jaws can’t get rocked. Regardless, both hands need to be on the football.”
That grace is echoed inside the Rams’ locker room. Williams’ coaches and teammates recognize his reliability over the past two seasons — back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns and a leadership role in an offense that found its identity through him. And even after Thursday’s turnover, Williams responded with two clutch fourth-quarter catches and key overtime receptions to set up a potential game-winner.
Still, the numbers paint an uncomfortable picture. Williams has fumbled 10 times in 33 games since 2023 — more than all but one running back (Rhamondre Stevenson) in that span. While he’s handled one of the league’s heaviest workloads, the gap between his ball security and his peers remains alarming.
“And while Williams has the fourth-most touches of any back in the NFL over that span, he is fumbling once every 71 touches, while the rest of the league’s backs have fumbled about once every 108 touches over that same span,” per Bill Barnwell of ESPN.
A Rookie Waiting in the Wings
Behind the scenes, the Rams have a player drawing growing intrigue: Jarquez Hunter. Head coach Sean McVay has praised the Auburn rookie’s physicality and demeanor, calling him “heavy through the hole” and “continuing to show improvement.” Vierra echoed that sentiment, saying, “I’ve been asking about Hunter all year long. The response has been, ‘We love the way he’s developing. He’s not ready yet.’”
Hunter, described by Vierra as “David Montgomery-like,” brings an edge and power element the Rams haven’t fully unleashed. His emergence could force McVay’s hand if Williams’ ball security issues persist or if Corum fails to seize his limited opportunities after his own fumble against San Francisco.
McVay has been reticent to hurry players along. Just last season, they dragged their feet with Corum and seem to be taking a similar tack with Hunter.
What’s Next for the Rams’ Backfield
For now, Los Angeles remains committed to its rotation. But the tension is real. Williams is still the leader, yet the leash may be shorter than ever. As Vierra put it, “The narrative online is going to be highly negative — understandably so. But when push comes to shove, Williams has been the guy they’ve been able to rely on.”
Still, one more mistake like Thursday’s, and McVay might be tempted to turn to his hungry, untested rookie — the one who’s been quietly earning respect with every punishing carry in practice.
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