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There's a narrative circulating the Los Angeles Rams that their RB1 job should be up for grabs between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, due to Corum's explosiveness and the number of big runs he pulled off in 2025.
While it does make sense for Corum to have an increased workload, there is zero evidence to prove that Corum deserves the RB1 job. In order to be an RB1 on the Rams, a running back must be able to play an evolving role within the offense. The Rams' offense is predicated on mirroring the run and the pass through plays that mimic similar opening steps.
One of the more hashed-out points in the argument for why Corum isn't able to be the player the Rams need is that Corum's running style is patient and slow in his initial steps. The brilliance about his style is that he is able to navigate holes as they develop to run away from overpursuing defenders. The downside is that if those holes don't open, Corum gets tackled for a loss, and there's no fear being instilled into the defense to mirror the run and pass.
Williams may not have breakaway speed, but he is a hard-nosed runner that defenses are forced to respect with his instant quickness to their approach. Since the defense knows Williams won't wait, they have to respond at the snap of the ball, making them more susceptible to leaving gaps for the passing game to exploit.
However, the biggest issue when it comes to Corum is his play outside of being a runner. His frame is too small to be a consistent run blocker, and his hands have way too many question marks to use him in the pass game, especially since balls tend to deflect off his hands and remain airborne for defenders to grab. He had three drops on only 14 targets last season, which is an atrocious rate.
The good news is that the Rams' heavy tight end packages are built for Corum's skillset as a runner, while their operation masks his weaknesses. The bad news for fans of Corum is that the Rams' 11 personnel offense will be their bread and butter, with Williams being built for that role.
There's no RB1 controversy. Just two running backs who are excelling in roles built for them.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: There should be no debate about Kyren Williams as Rams' RB1 over Blake Corum
Continue reading...
While it does make sense for Corum to have an increased workload, there is zero evidence to prove that Corum deserves the RB1 job. In order to be an RB1 on the Rams, a running back must be able to play an evolving role within the offense. The Rams' offense is predicated on mirroring the run and the pass through plays that mimic similar opening steps.
One of the more hashed-out points in the argument for why Corum isn't able to be the player the Rams need is that Corum's running style is patient and slow in his initial steps. The brilliance about his style is that he is able to navigate holes as they develop to run away from overpursuing defenders. The downside is that if those holes don't open, Corum gets tackled for a loss, and there's no fear being instilled into the defense to mirror the run and pass.
Williams may not have breakaway speed, but he is a hard-nosed runner that defenses are forced to respect with his instant quickness to their approach. Since the defense knows Williams won't wait, they have to respond at the snap of the ball, making them more susceptible to leaving gaps for the passing game to exploit.
However, the biggest issue when it comes to Corum is his play outside of being a runner. His frame is too small to be a consistent run blocker, and his hands have way too many question marks to use him in the pass game, especially since balls tend to deflect off his hands and remain airborne for defenders to grab. He had three drops on only 14 targets last season, which is an atrocious rate.
The good news is that the Rams' heavy tight end packages are built for Corum's skillset as a runner, while their operation masks his weaknesses. The bad news for fans of Corum is that the Rams' 11 personnel offense will be their bread and butter, with Williams being built for that role.
There's no RB1 controversy. Just two running backs who are excelling in roles built for them.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: There should be no debate about Kyren Williams as Rams' RB1 over Blake Corum
Continue reading...
