Go deep will take on an entirely different look for Rams offense in 2025

How often have we heard this offseason that the Los Angeles Rams need to become more explosive on offense? That was the team's offseason strategy theme in my offseason articles alone. After all, the Rams front office expanded this offense's capabilities by investing in size, power, speed, and elusiveness in roster additions. And now, it's up to the Rams coaching staff to take the time and energy to infuse these new players into the game plan.

But it won't be easy.

The Rams offense is many things: Productive, efficient, innovative, and even a bit surprising. But in recent years, the team has lost the ability to score points at the same pace as other NFL teams. While we can rationalize the decline in individual games to injury or tough opponents, the rate and duration of the Rams offensive regression suggests that its more strategic than tactical in nature.

Just check out how this offense has performed since HC Sean McVay has taken over:

• 2017 | 361.9 YPG - 29.9 PPG | 239.4 PYPG | 122.1 RYPG
• 2018 | 421.1 YPG - 32.9 PPG | 281.7 PYPG | 139.4 RYPG
• 2019 | 374.9 YPG - 24.6 PPG | 281.2 PYPG | 93.7 RYPG
• 2020 | 377.0 YPG - 23.1 PPG | 250.9 PYPG | 126.1 RYPG
• 2021 | 372.1 YPG - 27.1 PPG | 273.1 PYPG | 99.0 RYPG
• 2022 | 280.5 YPG - 18.1 PPG | 182.8 PYPG | 97.7 RYPG
• 2023 | 359.3 YPG - 23.8 PPG | 239.0 PYPG | 120.3 RYPG
• 2024 | 331.4 YPG - 21.8 PPG | 227.2 PYPG | 103.8 RYPG

As you can see, the Rams most effective offenses were in the early years of the team under McVay. 202e and 2024 were at the bottom of the stack in terms of yards per game, and points per game. And that creates difficulties for a team that is expected to contend in 2025.

A New Hope

If all things remained the same, the Rams' offense might not have many reasons to be more optimistic. But there are changes afoot, and I suspect that the changes are not simply a knee-jerk reaction. After the Rams' offense bottomed out in 2022, the team began to seek an elite tight end to join the roster. The team fell short in two drafts. But this team did emerge with a rookie tight end in Oregon's Terrance Ferguson.

We have long pushed for the Rams to commit more offensive snaps to their 12-personnel sub-package. The results when the team invested more snaps to two tight ends seemed to be extremely positive. But the Rams want to avoid sending sub-packages to the football field that give defensive coordinators a better chance of playing the odds.

The Rams' tight ends in 2024 were not exactly pass-catching wunderkinds. The committee of Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long, and Davis Allen was most effective when defensive backs had to focus on Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. They simply were not good enough to get open if they were the focus of defensive backs. When TE Tyler Higbee returned, despite coming off a serious ACL injury, he was instantly more effective in the Rams offense than any other tight end.

Now add rookie TE Terrance Ferguson, and things start to get incredibly interesting. Ferguson is the guy cited by Rams GM Les Snead as the tight end who will: 'Give more effort than the next guy.' And passion is vital to the Rams front office and coaching staff. After being drafted by the Rams, Ferguson give this interview that revealed that he is fully aware of the Rams culture, and veteran QB Matthew Stafford.

Do the Rams have some 12-personnel tricks up their sleeves for 2025? Let's not forget that Sean McVay began as an offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, a team that featured some of the NFL's best tight end contributors.

With the combination of Tyler Higbee and Terrance Ferguson, the Rams add blocking, power, and new chapters to the offensive playbook without sacrificing the threat of superb route running and pass catching. Of course, many Rams have been disappointed by rookies who never seem to get into the action. So many want to see it to believe it.

But get ready to be impressed. The more we learn about Ferguson, the more we have to love this rookie addition.