LOS ANGELES — As the Rams prepared to open training camp last month at Loyola Marymount, head coach Sean McVay approached running back Kyren Williams with a simple request.
“Make sure you’re catching punts,” the coach said. “If it comes down to it, I want you being the guy.”
As the dust cleared after the Rams got down to their 53-man roster Tuesday, McVay announced that Williams will indeed be returning punts for the Rams this season after the decision to cut receiver Xavier Smith.
This news came as a bit of a surprise, given that Williams broke out last season as the Rams’ starting running back. Despite missing four games with an ankle injury, Williams finished third in the NFL with 1,144 rushing yards and seventh with 12 touchdowns, working as a three-down back.
But Williams welcomed the extra workload when addressing reporters after practice Wednesday.
“I get to make more plays,” Williams said. “Being able to play [with] a lot of green grass and you have a lot of space and get good blocks from my jammers up front to get those punts start. I’m excited to be able to show another phase of football that I can play.”
Williams returned three punts as a rookie, none longer than 11 yards. He also served as a punt returner in his junior year at Notre Dame, taking 14 punts and returning them an average of 10.8 yards.
He feels like he got enough reps during training camp as a returner and is comfortable back in the role.
“My focus is just getting that first first down, honestly,” Williams said. “Get 10 yards, if I get more by the grace of God, thank you, but I’m going for 10. That’s about it.”
As for any increased injury risk in that high-speed play for a valuable offensive contributor, offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur dismissed any possible concerns.
“Any time you can put the ball in a playmaker’s hands, you’re going to be happy about,” LaFleur said. “If 23 is touching the ball, it’s good for the Rams.”
Nacua keeps working in practice
Receiver Puka Nacua continued to work back up to full speed in practice Wednesday after returning to the field at the start of the week. LaFleur said Nacua has looked good so far, noting that his offseason conditioning helped the second-year player avoid any regressions while he was out.
“He came in in such tremendous shape,” LaFleur said. “So he has a leg up on a lot of guys, just how he works. So him going down, it’s just about him getting used to getting back into the swing of things.”
Quarterback Stetson Bennett IV (personal) and running back Ronnie Rivers (illness) were back at practice Wednesday after not participating Monday.
Rams add Cody Schrader
The Rams claimed running back Cody Schrader off waivers Wednesday, releasing defensive lineman Cory Durden to make room on the roster.
Schrader was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent this spring after rushing for 1,627 yards and finishing eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a junior at Missouri. He began his career at Division II Truman, spending three years there before moving up to the SEC.
“Really liked him coming out,” LaFleur said. “I thought [general manager Les Snead] and his team did a great job of just seeing the talent right there.”
