Rams RB Williams to miss OTAs with ‘foot issue’

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams will miss the team’s offseason program due to a “foot issue,” coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” McVay said. “He’ll be ready to go for training camp, but there’s a little issue when he was training. And [I’ll] kind of just leave it at that. But nothing to be concerned about.”

McVay joked that it was “probably good” Williams won’t be on the field because “that maniac works so hard, sometimes it’s good to just be able to pull him back.”

He later said he told Williams that “it is probably a good thing now that you’ll be with [VP of sports medicine and performance] Reggie [Scott] in a little bit more of a disciplined program instead of you just running yourself ragged.”

Williams missed four games last season while on injured reserve with an ankle injury. In 12 games (he did not play in the regular-season finale when the Rams rested several starters), he led the team with 228 carries for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Williams also broke his foot during OTAs his rookie season and later missed time that year after injuring his ankle in the first game of 2022.

“He’s been great,” McVay said Tuesday. “He’s doing an excellent job, just physically feeling really good. And he’ll be ready to roll and be a consistent producer for us this year.”

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford did take part in OTAs despite seeking more guaranteed money on his contract. Although McVay during draft weekend acknowledged an NFL Network report that Stafford wanted more guaranteed money, he said Tuesday that he wants to keep those discussions in-house “out of respect for the situation.”

McVay pointed out Stafford was on the field for OTAs and said what he is appreciative of “is that he’s here leading the way.”

When asked whether he expected Stafford to be at training camp, McVay said, “I’m confident that he’s been out here leading the way, and that’s really where we’ll kind of keep it right now.”

Stafford signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in March 2022, but his salary is not guaranteed after the 2024 season. Stafford has a cap hit of $49.5 million in 2024, $50.5 million in 2025 and $49.5 million in 2026.

In 15 games last season, Stafford threw for 3,965 yards with 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was a finalist for The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award a season after a spinal cord contusion and time in the concussion protocol limited him to nine games.