Kyren Williams is well aware of the impact that Cooper Kupp had on not only the Los Angeles Rams, but the young running back’s career.

Kupp is one of the best players in franchise history, winning Super Bowl MVP honors after winning the NFL’s triple crown by leading in three major receiving categories during the 2021 season.

However, the Rams made the difficult decision to move on from Kupp, releasing the 31-year-old from the team after seven seasons. Kupp has since landed with the team’s division rival, the Seattle Seahawks.

Williams — who spent the first three seasons of his career with Kupp — details the impact Kupp had on his own career.

“A legendary receiver, great receiver,” Williams told Great Offshore Sportsbooks in an exclusive interview. “Somebody who knows the game, studied the game and gives his all to the game. Being able to see, being able to play with him was a huge impact in my career. I was always an observer, I just kind of sat back and watched how he did things.”

Kupp had been one of the NFL’s best receivers, being named one of the top 100 players in four of the past five years. However, injuries had clearly taken a toll on Kupp’s productivity as his numbers declined to 67 receptions for 710 yards and six touchdowns this past season.

The veteran receiver had missed five games in each of the past two seasons and 18 games in the past three years.

“It sucks not having him in the locker room, because I know he’d be beneficial to a lot of guys,” says Williams of Kupp. “But I’m just going to take what I learned from him and continue to keep passing that down so that they’re still able to learn, not directly from him, but kind of through him.”

Williams: I Can’t Wait To Play With Davante Adams

While the Rams will obviously miss Kupp, they did replace him with another similarly decorated receiver, six-time Pro Bowl wideout Davante Adams.

“Being able to see Davante Adams is another cool person too,” says Williams of Adams. “I’ve been in the league for four years now, so I’ve obviously seen Adams in his prime with Packers Aaron Rodgers and I was like, ‘Dang, dope player. He’s super good. I would love to play with him.’ Now that I’m actually in the same room and play with him, that makes it real.”

The fan in Williams is certainly coming out when he talks about the 32-year-old Adams. However, the 24-year-old also makes it clear that Adams’ presence makes him want to “ball out.”

“It also makes me want to go hard,” says Willams. “Makes me want to go ball out so that he can see that I’m a really good player because I want respect from the OGs. Being able to get that from him would be an honor, absolutely.”

Williams: Stafford ‘One Of The Best To Ever Do It’

While the Rams will be making a major change when it comes to wide receiver, they’ll have stability at the quarterback position with Matthew Stafford returning for his fifth season.

There were questions regarding Stafford’s future with the franchise, however, those were squashed as the two sides agreed to a re-negotiated deal that will see the 37-year-old quarterback earn $44 million this season.

“So happy, because I know we can win ball games,” says Williams of having Stafford back. “That’s a simple thing, simple fact. We got a great one. We got one of the best to ever do it. I’m excited to come back to play with him, because when I got here during my rookie year, I did not think I’d be playing with him for four years. It’s been a ride, it’s been a journey, and I’m excited.”

As Williams said of playing with Adams, the former Pro Bowl running back feels the same way about playing with Stafford. He wants to play at his very best to earn the veteran quarterback’s respect.

“That’s why I want to continue to keep getting better for him,” says Williams. “It’s about getting that respect from him to be one of the best he’s played with. He loves the game, there’s not a day where the work drops off. He’s the same person every single day, whether it’s the football field, whether it’s the locker room, it doesn’t matter.

“It’s just going back to the point where these guys are so successful, but they do it because it’s the love of the game,” Williams says of the Rams’ locker room. “That’s the kind of school we have over here. We have those types of selfless people who love this game.”