Rams Training Camp Preview: Will tight ends become a featured part of the offense?

Will tight ends become a featured part of the Rams offense?

After the Los Angeles Rams selected Terrance Ferguson with their first selection of the 2025 NFL Draft, there will be more attention around the tight end position than past years. Ferguson was selected in the second round while Tyler Higbee will be a full year removed from tearing his ACL. With Cooper Kupp no longer on the team, some will be expecting the Rams to utilize more 12 personnel and for Ferguson to play in the “F” role on offense. The key here will be McVay using more 12 personnel which has been used sparingly in past seasons.

2025 Rams projected Tight End depth chart

• Tyler Higbee
• Terrance Ferguson
• Colby Parkinson
• Davis Allen
• Anthony Torres
• Malik Redman

When it comes to the Rams tight ends, this is a group that actually has some options. It should be expected for Higbee to return as the starter. When Higbee returned to the lineup last year, he was heavily involved in the offense. The Rams veteran tight end had five or more receptions in Week 18 and both playoff games.

Behind Higbee is where things get interesting. Ferguson will be expected to be the TE2. As a player drafted inside the top-50, Ferguson should get immediate reps in the offense. At the same time, rookie tight ends haven’t typically been featured with McVay in charge.

Parkinson was signed as a free agent last year and hasn’t necessarily worked out. At this point, he seems to be more of the blocking tight end in the group. The Rams paid him to be more than that, but he hasn’t shown the ability to do more.

Lastly, there was some excitement around Davis Allen last season. While Allen wasn’t bad, he also struggled to get involved in the passing game. His snap count went up in the middle of the year, yet still managed just six receptions on 13 targets for 39 yards.

Torres and Redman are both undrafted free agents. One of them should make the practice squad.

Rams Have Future at Tight End

For the first time in awhile, the Rams have a future at tight end in Terrance Ferguson. While the Rams had Gerald Everett in the early years under Sean McVay, it has primarily been just Tyler Higbee since 2021. The Rams have missed that tight end depth and player behind Higbee that could get involved in the passing game or be trusted in the offense.

Ferguson helps the Rams offense in the now, but also someone for after Higbee, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Ferguson should see some involvement in the offense as a rookie while he develops behind Higbee. The rookie out of Oregon is someone that the Rams were excited about during the draft process and allegedly considered taking him at 26.

Will Terrance Ferguson Replace Cooper Kupp?

Throughout McVay’s tenure, the Rams have utilized more 11 personnel than any other team. McVay has gotten creative with players like Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Robert Woods, essentially using them as a second tight end at times. While it’s 11 personnel, it’s more like 11.5 personnel in how McVay has utilized his receivers, especially in the run game.

It will be difficult for anybody to replace Kupp in the same way it was going to be difficult to replace Aaron Donald. However, it would not be surprising to see Ferguson deployed in a similar role. Ferguson isn’t going to block defensive ends in the run game in the same way that Kupp wouldn’t. However, he can still be effective on linebackers and defensive backs.

Again, Ferguson isn’t going to replace Kupp, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t or won’t be deployed as the F-tight end and be utilized as a receiver in the middle of the field. It will still be up to Ferguson to be a quick study in the offense as Kupp was as a rookie. While a rookie tight end hasn’t gotten involved in the McVay era, Ferguson likely won’t be playing the typical tight end role.

Will McVay Incorporate More 12 Personnel?

If the Rams are going to get Ferguson involved as a rookie, the offense will likely need to utilize more 12 personnel. The issue here is that the Rams haven’t typically been a 12 personnel team. Last season, the Rams ranked 26th in 12 personnel rate at 13.9 percent. In 2023, they were dead last at 4.75 percent.

Tyler Higbee has been a trusted piece of the offense and has the threat as a receiver and blocker. Meanwhile, Ferguson is primarily a receiver. Without giving the defense a tell, the Rams need to find ways to get both players on the field at the same time. The best way to do that is with 12 personnel.

The good news here is that the Rams passing offense was one of the most efficient out of 12 personnel last season. They averaged 0.34 EPA per pass which was the third-best in the NFL. Additionally, Matthew Stafford was one of the best quarterbacks out of 12 personnel, especially running play action. On 32 play action passes out of 12 personnel, Stafford completed 81.3 percent of them with a passer rating of 146 and completion percentage over expectation of 21.3. All three marks led the NFL. He also threw five touchdowns to no interceptions.

Conversely, however, the Rams were 29th in EPA per rush at -0.18. Kyren Williams averaged just 3.64 yards per carry in 12 personnel with two fumbles. While Williams typically doesn’t take negative runs, he had a 49.3 percent stuff rate in 12 personnel which was the tenth highest rate. He also averaged the sixth-lowest yards before contact.

Heading into 2025, the Rams essentially have a two wide receiver offense with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Without Kupp in the offense, it should be easier to find opportunities to get Ferguson and Higbee on the field at the same time and use more 12 personnel. If it can be effective, McVay could lean into it more often than recent years.

Will McVay Utilize the Tight Ends?

Over the past few years, there has been growing speculation that McVay has wanted a tight end in the offense. There were reports that the Rams tried to trade up for Dalton Kincaid in 2023 and Brock Bowers in 2024. The Rams may not have landed Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland, but seemingly like Terrance Ferguson.

The Rams simply haven’t utilized the tight end position throughout much of McVay’s tenure. In 2017, the Rams ranked 27th in tight end targets. That was the same in 2018. The one year that the Rams utilized both tight ends consistently was 2019 in which they ranked fourth. Gerald Everett finished with 408 yards while Tyler Higbee had 734.

Much has been made about McVay wanting a tight end in the offense. An argument could be made that a tight end at 46 was more of a luxury pick with a big need in the secondary. The Rams ended up drafting Terrance Ferguson to pair with Tyler Higbee who they missed last season. It will be up to McVay to use them.