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Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams will return punts this season, coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.
“It’s another opportunity for him to get touches and impact the game,” McVay said. “And you feel comfortable with that because of the confidence in Blake Corum and Ronnie Rivers being able to spell him if need be.”
Last season, Williams averaged nearly 22 touches per game and ranked third in the NFL in rushing despite playing in only 12 games. Williams missed four games because of a sprained ankle in the middle of the season and a fifth for rest after the Rams had clinched a playoff spot.
The Rams drafted Corum in the third round in April’s draft in an effort to take some of the load off Williams. The night of the draft, McVay said he thought there were “a lot of similarities” between the two running backs.
Williams has played in 22 games in his career, missing time his rookie season because of a high ankle sprain. He also broke his hand in the Rams’ playoff loss to the Detroit Lions, requiring offseason surgery, and missed most of the Rams’ offseason program after needing to clean up something from a previous foot surgery.
Last season, Williams ran for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns on 228 carries. He also had 32 catches and three touchdowns.