Personally I’d see a folding wing 777, or anything else with folding wings, as an interim design making use of production capacity while something more radical is developed. Both Airbus and Boeing have plenty of concepts which don’t follow the ‘conventional’ layout….

If anything the “blended wing” designs I’ve seen look to be wider than current jets. The “Joined wing” (where sharply swept wings are connected to the aft fuselage by a forward swept “T” tail with a serious anhedrial issue) might be a bit narrower.

I agree, sooner or later airliners will take advantage of these NASA and RAE concepts. Perhaps as the replacement for the 777X, 787 or A350. In other words, not anytime soon.