Rams extend RB Kyren Williams - 3-year, $33 million

[billsbackto81]

1 hour ago, Brand J said:

Oh, I’m sure they have been. But Kyren’s contract sets a comparative marker. If Cook and his camp believed they were worth $15M/yr, but just saw a comparable back sign for $11M/yr, they have to know they’re not getting $15M in free agency. All other teams can point to the contracts similar backs make and Cook will have to face the music.

Also consider that Rams may need Williams more than the Bills need Cook. Williams is a 3 down back and the Rams #2 RB is Ronnie Williams who rushed for a whopping 99 yds. last year. Now I'm not saying Cook is easily replaceable, but Davis had 442 yds at almost 4yd a carry in a limited role and presumably would get better with more touches. Ty Johnson is also no slouch and is a great blocker and receiver.

 

I want Cook back as much as everyone else, but he has to be reasonable.  

 

3yr./34 mil /25 guaranteed 

[Logic]

Kyren Williams has poor efficiency metrics across the board, doesn't have breakaway speed, and isn't particularly effective in the passing game.

The Rams also have Blake Corum and now Jarquez Hunter behind him.

Color me confused as to why they remain so committed to Williams. He's mid. His production is largely volume-based and owes a lot to McVay's run schemes.

As it relates to James Cook...I genuinely don't care one way or the other any more. If they wanna pay him, great. I wouldn't, but it's not my money. Onward.

[That's No Moon]

1 hour ago, Walking Tall said:

 

And he has a lot more carries. I’ll take Cook.

Right, but the Bills have shown that they will use three backs.  Why would you pay a player more, to touch the ball less?  That's the sticky wicket with this negotiation IMO. Cook wants to be paid like a bell-cow back, but he isn't used like, nor is he as productive as, a bell-cow back. Everyone talks about his TDs from last year, but most of the rest of his stats actually declined last year. Fewer carries, fewer yards, fewer receptions, fewer receiving TDs, fewer yards per reception.  His yards per carry increased from 4.7 to 4.9.

 

Saquon Barkley got a 2 year extension for 41M with 36M guaranteed this off-season.  He is the marquee back of the league right now.  Cook shouldn't even sniff those numbers.  Can you argue that he's worth more than Kyren Williams?  Maybe a little, but there's not a huge gulf between those players and that extension makes him the 7th highest paid back in the league.  According to Schefter and Spotrac, here are the top ten RB average salaries in the NFL right now.

 

Saquon Barkley: 20.6

Christian McCaffrey: 19

Derrick Henry: 15

Johnathan Taylor: 14

Alvin Kamara: 12.25

Josh Jacobs: 12

Kyren Williams: 11

Aaron Jones: 10

James Connor: 9.5

David Montgomery: 9.125

 

Looking at that I can see an argument for anywhere from Aaron Jones to Alvin Kamara.  He's obviously better than Connor, but he's not the same back that Taylor or anyone above that are.  Usage wise, the comp is Aaron Jones.  He hovers around 200-215 carries a year with yards per carry in the high 4s to low 5s with about 50ish receptions a year.  Some years a little more, some a little less. Point being, he was almost always used in a time-share.

 

Last off-season, Jones signed 2 yrs for 20M with 13.8 guaranteed. He was 29 at the time.  Factoring in some inflation, 3x11 with 23M guaranteed for a 24 year old Williams entering his 4th season seems pretty on point.  Williams has 46 more career carries than Cook, 22 fewer receptions, and 4 more total touchdowns.  In essence, he's touched the ball 24 more times over his career and has scored 4 more times.  Now, we know there are likely reasons for that TD disparity, one of them being #17 who vultures a lot of goalline TDs that Matt Stafford does not.  But there is also no guarantee that Buffalo would necessarily use Cook on the goalline anyway.  They have shown they will use Davis and Johnson as well so you can't just take Allen's 1 yard runs and automatically say those would have been Cook's.

 

Given all of that, if Williams is at 3x11 with 23M guaranteed, and they offered 11.5x3 with 25M guaranteed that would be pretty close to getting it done in the real world.  It's a good comp and I think it helps us get this done.

 

Edited Tuesday at 06:03 PM by That's No Moon

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Considering this was negotiated with some of the better agents in the business, Cook's probably got his hands tied up a bit.  

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

In all fairness how do you see Cook is better?  Cook has a better QB and OL and has lesser stats over the last 2 years.  

And 1100+ with 12 TD's the year before.

Eyeballs.  Cook is better.  

[JerseyBills]

2 hours ago, Walking Tall said:

Cook is a bit better but that’s a good baseline. 12.5-13 million is the highest I’d go with Cook.

idk man, I've watched way less of Kyren and have been way more impressed,  scooped him in fantasy , so watch red zone when no Bills on,they're at a very similar level 

18 minutes ago, Logic said:

Kyren Williams has poor efficiency metrics across the board, doesn't have breakaway speed, and isn't particularly effective in the passing game.

The Rams also have Blake Corum and now Jarquez Hunter behind him.

Color me confused as to why they remain so committed to Williams. He's mid. His production is largely volume-based and owes a lot to McVay's run schemes.

As it relates to James Cook...I genuinely don't care one way or the other any more. If they wanna pay him, great. I wouldn't, but it's not my money. Onward.

you clearly never seen Kyren play, forget the metrics, put on the tape! he's a stud

[Reks Ryan]

K. Williams and Cook are the same draft class.  Williams was a 5th rounder.  His 2025 salary is less than Cook.   $11 mil/year is a nice increase for 5th round RB

 

Williams is a year younger than Cook, 24 about to turn 25, compared to Cook who will turn 26 in Sept.   The Rams drafted Blake Corum last year and used a 4th round pick on an RB this year.  So it seems that the Rams, like Buffalo, will use 3 RBs.   

 

Williams is about as close a comp as you will find for Cook, so I can't imagine the Bills paying significantly more.

[GoBills808]

10 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

idk man, I've watched way less of Kyren and have been way more impressed,  scooped him in fantasy , so watch red zone when no Bills on,they're at a very similar level 

you clearly never seen Kyren play, forget the metrics, put on the tape! he's a stud

correct

 

not watching rams if you're calling him mid

casual take

[benderbender]

Was Kyren Williams on the field for the Rams final drive in the playoffs?

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, benderbender said:

Was Kyren Williams on the field for the Rams final drive in the playoffs?

id assume so, he doesn't really come off the field

[Logic]

16 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

idk man, I've watched way less of Kyren and have been way more impressed,  scooped him in fantasy , so watch red zone when no Bills on,they're at a very similar level 

you clearly never seen Kyren play, forget the metrics, put on the tape! he's a stud

 

5 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

correct

 

not watching rams if you're calling him mid

casual take

Ah yes, the old "if you don't like the guy I like, then you're a casual who doesn't watch the games" take. Classic.

Have seen him plenty. Sticking with my statement. Y'all can stick with yours. Freedom of opinion is a wonderful thing.

[ALLinALLEN]

5 minutes ago, benderbender said:

Was Kyren Williams on the field for the Rams final drive in the playoffs?

I literally just watched that game on youtube lol. They had to go 70 yards in the snow in under 2 mins. 10 straight passing plays

Edited Tuesday at 06:37 PM by ALLinALLEN

[Alphadawg7]

This is good news for us and Cook IMO, this is a fair deal and one that should help get one done here.  

[DrDawkinstein]

11 minutes ago, benderbender said:

Was Kyren Williams on the field for the Rams final drive in the playoffs?

 

Probably, since they have a Super Bowl winning coach who doesnt make dumb decisions that cost his team the game despite their talent.

[Mat68]

41 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Right, but the Bills have shown that they will use three backs.  Why would you pay a player more, to touch the ball less?  That's the sticky wicket with this negotiation IMO. Cook wants to be paid like a bell-cow back, but he isn't used like, nor is he as productive as, a bell-cow back. Everyone talks about his TDs from last year, but most of the rest of his stats actually declined last year. Fewer carries, fewer yards, fewer receptions, fewer receiving TDs, fewer yards per reception.  His yards per carry increased from 4.7 to 4.9.

 

Saquon Barkley got a 2 year extension for 41M with 36M guaranteed this off-season.  He is the marquee back of the league right now.  Cook shouldn't even sniff those numbers.  Can you argue that he's worth more than Kyren Williams?  Maybe a little, but there's not a huge gulf between those players and that extension makes him the 7th highest paid back in the league.  According to Schefter and Spotrac, here are the top ten RB average salaries in the NFL right now.

 

Saquon Barkley: 20.6

Christian McCaffrey: 19

Derrick Henry: 15

Johnathan Taylor: 14

Alvin Kamara: 12.25

Josh Jacobs: 12

Kyren Williams: 11

Aaron Jones: 10

James Connor: 9.5

David Montgomery: 9.125

 

Looking at that I can see an argument for anywhere from Aaron Jones to Alvin Kamara.  He's obviously better than Connor, but he's not the same back that Taylor or anyone above that are.  Usage wise, the comp is Aaron Jones.  He hovers around 200-215 carries a year with yards per carry in the high 4s to low 5s with about 50ish receptions a year.  Some years a little more, some a little less. Point being, he was almost always used in a time-share.

 

Last off-season, Jones signed 2 yrs for 20M with 13.8 guaranteed. He was 29 at the time.  Factoring in some inflation, 3x11 with 23M guaranteed for a 24 year old Williams entering his 4th season seems pretty on point.  Williams has 46 more career carries than Cook, 22 fewer receptions, and 4 more total touchdowns.  In essence, he's touched the ball 24 more times over his career and has scored 4 more times.  Now, we know there are likely reasons for that TD disparity, one of them being #17 who vultures a lot of goalline TDs that Matt Stafford does not.  But there is also no guarantee that Buffalo would necessarily use Cook on the goalline anyway.  They have shown they will use Davis and Johnson as well so you can't just take Allen's 1 yard runs and automatically say those would have been Cook's.

 

Given all of that, if Williams is at 3x11 with 23M guaranteed, and they offered 11.5x3 with 25M guaranteed that would be pretty close to getting it done in the real world.  It's a good comp and I think it helps us get this done.

 

Its like saying instead of breaking a 60 yard TD its better he goes 7 carries for 67 and runs one in from the 4.   

[JerseyBills]

8 minutes ago, Logic said:

 

Ah yes, the old "if you don't like the guy I like, then you're a casual who doesn't watch the games" take. Classic.

Have seen him plenty. Sticking with my statement. Y'all can stick with yours. Freedom of opinion is a wonderful thing.

Just surprised how you can watch him play and feel that way, I respect your opinion though .. 

 

He's a true 3 down back , does it all..

 

 

 

[Logic]

4 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

Just surprised how you can watch him play and feel that way, I respect your opinion though .. 

 

He's a true 3 down back , does it all..

 

 

 

He gets a ton of volume and scoring opportunities in a great rushing scheme.

My contention is that a lot of the metrics which measure a running back's performance are not particularly impressive for him. I can respect the "disregard the analytics, use the eye test instead" argument to a point. Clearly the Rams felt he warranted a nice extension, and other players seem to like and respect him.

[BeastMaster]

45 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Eyeballs.  Cook is better.  

Eyeballs doesn't work in negotiations FWIW 

 

Also, one guy is a complete back that never leaves the field, so when one guy can't do that it's hard to claim he's better

 

More explosive, yes. Not necessarily better

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Everyone saying Cook is better... how?

 

Williams has the better, more proven rushing production.

 

Cook had less than 100 more receiving yards last year 

 

Williams played 888 (87%) of the team's offensive snaps. Cook didn't do half that. 

[sunshynman]

2 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

Everyone saying Cook is better... how?

 

Williams has the better, more proven rushing production.

 

Cook had less than 100 more receiving yards last year 

 

Williams played 888 (87%) of the team's offensive snaps. Cook didn't do half that. 

Cook had bigger runs. He played well last year. The issue is can he do it for 3 more years?