During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams opted not to draft players like Malaki Starks, Josh Conerly Jr., Jihaad Campbell, or Josh Simmons and instead trade back. In doing so, the Rams acquired a future first-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons, but they also traded out of first-round talent.
Instead of making a selection in the first round, the Rams didn’t make their first pick until 46th overall. With that pick, the Rams selected Oregon tight end, Terrance Ferguson. This isn’t a criticism of the decision to trade back. Given the quarterbacks in next year’s class, acquiring an extra first-round selection in 2026 was a very good move. At the same time, the players mentioned above played a combined 271 snaps and averaged 67.75 snaps between them.
Meanwhile, Ferguson played zero offensive snaps and all five of his snaps during the game against the Houston Texans in Week 1 came on special teams. For comparison, Konata Mumpfield, who the Rams drafted in the seventh round, played six offensive snaps. Mumpfield’s snaps come in a crowded wide receiver room that includes Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Jordan Whittington, and Tutu Atwell.
This wasn’t a case of the Rams not using heavy offensive personnel packages and Ferguson being stuck behind Tyler Higbee. The Rams played 42.1 percent of their offensive snaps out of 12 personnel and Higbee led the tight end group with just a 58 percent snap share. Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Davis Allen were rotated throughout the game. The only exclusion was Ferguson.
What’s odd about Ferguson not playing was how high the Rams were on him during the draft process. According to The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue, the Rams considered taking Ferguson with the 26th overall pick. Said Rodrigue,
“Ferguson was such a popular match with the Rams (including as a top choice on some scouts’ and coaches’ ‘Make Him a Ram’ survey) that they even discussed whether they should take him at No. 26.”
Ferguson is a player that the Rams reportedly considered with the 26th overall pick and the top choice for some scouts and coaches. That would presume that this is a player that the Rams were extremely high on coming into the season. For him not to play over the likes of Parkinson and Allen is odd. That’s nothing against Parkinson and Allen, but the hope would be that Ferguson would be able to play ahead of them.
It is worth noting that Ferguson missed a little over two weeks of practice with a groin injury in early August. That time away certainly could have been a setback for Ferguson in terms of his development and preparation for the season. It would explain Ferguson being listed fourth on the depth chart at tight end and being the lone Rams tight end currently on the roster to play in the final preseason game.
With that said, even before the injury, Ferguson wasn’t necessarily standing out in the same way that has been seen with rookies who have good summers. The coaching staff and players would mention Ferguson, but only when asked and most everything a general statement. Said Higbee in August before Ferguson’s injury,
“He’s showing some flashes of some really good stuff. He is going to be a great ball player and it’s about getting him out here and doing it day in and day out. It’s been special to have him. He’s a great dude and we’re excited…He is great. He is attentive. He’s willing and wants to learn. He’s receptive to a lot of things.”
What Higbee said about Ferguson isn’t a bad thing by any means, but it’s what you would expect the veteran to say about any rookie. The early quotes in OTAs about Ferguson were also general statements. As quarterback Matthew Stafford said in May, “Excited for him. Again, it’s all a development at this stage…Everybody is trying to figure out how they can get better as a player, and he’s no different.”
The difference is clear when comparing quotes about Mumpfield. McVay said about Mumpfield in August,
“He’s doing a great job. I think you’re right. You see him making a lot of plays. He’s a mature rookie. He’s a guy that is wired to be able to separate. I think he’s catching the football really well. He’s really smart and conscientious. He’s moving around, can do a lot of different things but you’re right. He’s one of the guys that has really shined with some of those younger guys. He continues to be able to just answer the bell with the opportunities that he’s gotten.”
Again, it may not necessarily mean anything and it’s certainly not something worth overreacting to by any means. This isn’t calling Ferguson a bust or implying that he won’t develop. The difference in tone is simply very noticeable.
Coming into the season, Ferguson was a player that many were excited to see in the offense. In preseason reps, Ferguson stood out, catching two passes for 48 yards. As is typically the case for tight ends, even those used more as a receiver, there is a developmental period. It does seem as though the Rams are going to bring him along slowly. Said Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News in August,
“There’s a belief in the organization that keeping Allen and Ferguson in the rotation can keep Higbee (32) and Parkinson (26) fresh and effective deeper into the season.”
It seems as if even when Ferguson does finally see the field, it will be as the third tight end in the rotation. In Week 1, Higbee led the way with 58 percent of the team’s offensive snaps with Parkinson behind him at 48 percent and Allen at 37 percent. Ferguson is likely to step into Allen’s role rather than be the bona fide TE2 alongside Higbee.
Given how McVay had used tight ends in the past, there was always some concern on the true value of a second tight end in the offense. The Ferguson pick wasn’t confusing by any means, but there were some questions as to how McVay would utilize him. While it seems as if the Rams are moving toward more 12 personnel, it still may take time to work Ferguson into the offense. The positive is that McVay does seem to want to get Ferguson involved. Said McVay,
“Ferguson is going to be a factor for us. We’ve got to be able to figure out a way to get him involved,” McVay said. “He had the groin injury where he missed a bunch of time. That type of game, felt like that was going to be the best approach…Ferguson is a guy that’s going to be a really good player for us…I think we want to be able to use our guys on a week-to-week basis. I’d like to be able to see Ferguson get involved a little bit as well…Number one, you want to be able to use all of your players, but it’s also predicated on what allows them to have successful outcomes or what we believe gives them the best chance for successful outcomes for our team.”
In the past, the Rams have had a history of bringing rookies along slowly outside of a few exceptions and then when they were forced to in 2023. It’s also worth noting that Ferguson wasn’t the only rookie not to see snaps. Both Jarquez Hunter and Ty Hamilton were inactive. Still, it’s also fair to expect more from a top-50 pick that the Rams reportedly considered taking in the first round.
It’s a different offense now, but comparing Ferguson to Gerald Everett’s rookie season, the Rams rookie may not play a primary role in his first season. Everett played more than 40 percent of the team’s snaps in two games as a rookie. Those games were a 46-9 Week 1 blowout and the Week 17 game in which the Rams rested their starters. Everett averaged 26.4 percent of the team’s snaps on offense throughout the season. That would seem like a fair number for Ferguson as the season progresses.
There will be pressure on the Rams to play Ferguson more, especially following the fumble by Colby Parkinson late in the game against the Texans. While there was a lot of excitement around Ferguson coming into the season, being the team’s first draft pick, the Rams rookie may simply require patience.
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