Could Terrance Ferguson signal more tight end usage in Rams offense?

Will the Rams use their tight ends more after drafting Terrance Ferguson?

When the Los Angeles Rams took a tight end with the 46th overall pick over cornerbacks like Trey Amos and Will Johnson, some were left surprised. It was true that head coach Sean McVay had wanted a receiving tight end in the offense. In 2023, the Rams tried to trade up for Dalton Kincaid. Last year, they attempted to trade up for Brock Bowers to no avail. At the same time, cornerback was one of the biggest needs on the roster.

Last season, the Rams secondary ranked 28th in EPA allowed per pass and 26th in yards per pass allowed. This was all with a top-10 quarterback pressure rate and bottom-10 blitz rate. Essentially, despite a top-level pass rush and lower blitz rate that left more players in coverage, the Rams secondary struggled. They got better as the year went on, but they were still only 20th in EPA per pass in Weeks 10-17.

Meanwhile, looking at the Rams tight end usage, it simply wasn’t there despite spending on Colby Parkinson in free agency. Among 35 tight ends that ran 250 routes, Parkinson ranked 32nd in target share and targets per game. He also ranked just 29th in targets per route run and was 34th in yards per route run. It is fair to note that Parkinson only ran a route on 48.1 percent of the Rams’ dropbacks. With that said, the production didn’t match the expectation when Parkinson was signed.

Because of Parkinson’s lack of production, there is now a narrative that McVay and the Rams don’t utilize tight ends in the offense. However, that ignores that when Tyler Higbee returned from injury, he was a primary focal point. It’s a small sample size, but from Week 16 until the divisional round playoff loss, Higbee was one of the most involved tight ends in the NFL.

During those five weeks, Higbee led all tight ends with 0.34 targets per route. This was despite Higbee’s route percentage of 43.8 percent being far lower than Parkinson’s 48.1 percent for the season. Is it possible the issue was the player and not the offense?

When taking the Rams head coach job, McVay figured that he would largely use 12 personnel offensive packages. During his first draft, the Rams used a second-round pick on tight end Gerald Everett to pair with Higbee. However, Kupp stood out in training camp and McVay adjusted. Kupp’s ability to feel out zone coverage and his willingness to block forced the Rams to reconsider that plan. It was about players, not plays.

With Kupp struggling down the stretch and now no longer in the offense, McVay could go back to that original plan. As Ted Nguyen of The Athletic wrote,

“Ferguson will help replace some of what Kupp did as a blocker. McVay won’t ask Ferguson to block defensive ends one-on-one frequently as a rookie — they still have Tyler Higbee for that — but he’ll be able to crack block and insert on linebackers. Also, with Nacua and Adams lifting the coverage, Ferguson can work choice routes against linebackers and run after the catch.”

When the Rams have been a two wide receiver team, the tight ends have gotten involved. In Weeks 1-4 of 2023 with Kupp injured, Higbee led tight ends in routes and was sixth in targets. In games that Higbee played in following Woods’ injury in 2021, the Rams tight end ranked seventh in targets and sixth in receptions.

Heading into 2025, the Rams essentially have a two wide receiver offense with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Tutu Atwell is the third wide receiver, but it’s hard to see Atwell getting 80 percent of the team’s offensive snaps. It’s very possible that the Rams utilize their tight ends more and lean more into 12 personnel, especially on early downs. McVay hinted about this following the Ferguson pick,

“It’s a cyclical league. I can remember even when we first got here and in Washington, we had really leaned into some heavier tight end personnel groupings. We drafted Gerald Everett with our first pick when we got partnered up. I think you look at it. The more that you can present and be multiple with a variety of blocking surfaces, some different personnel groupings [the better]. We have a lot of confidence in Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen, obviously with Tyler Higbee leading the way. Being able to add Terrance to that group is a big deal. What that means, I think it allows us to be more versatile. We still have to put the work in but there’s a vision.”

It’s worth noting that Higbee and Everett combined for 77 targets in 2017 which would have been fourth on the team behind only Kupp, Todd Gurley, and Robert Woods. They combined for 84 targets the following year which would have been third behind Woods and Brandin Cooks. The duo combined for over 150 targets and 1,000 yards in 2019.

Two of the Rams’ best offensive performances last season were games in which they leaned into 12 personnel. Both of those games came against the Minnesota Vikings. However, it is worth noting that in 145 plays out of 12 personnel in 2024, the Rams ranked fourth in EPA per pass.

Ferguson is versatile, but 42 percent of his snaps in 2024 at Oregon came from the slot. He is the F-tight end that McVay has been wanting to add to the offense. While not a great blocker for a tight end, he brings more weight and physicality in the run game than a Kupp and can play in a similar role. The Rams should be able to get defenses into base personnel more and take advantage of those mismatches.

Throughout McVay’s tenure as head coach, the Rams have primarily been an 11 personnel team. However, tight ends have played an important role in the offense. It was clear how much the Rams had missed Higbee once he returned last season. While it’s hard to believe a schematic shift like this until you see it, it does appear to be a plan in place. This isn’t to say that Rams tight ends are all of a sudden going to become the most productive unit in the NFL. However, the fact that there is a plan is a huge positive for Ferguson’s development. It’s also a potential sign that the Rams are going to lean into their tight ends more.