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Why Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson could be the impact player Coach McVay covets

He combines the qualities that the Rams have sought for years in a rookie tight end
ByBret Stuter|
Los Angeles Rams OTA Offseason Workout Terrance Ferguson
Los Angeles Rams OTA Offseason Workout Terrance Ferguson | Ric Tapia/GettyImages
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The Los Angeles Rams are simply not an offense that has featured tight ends with any consistency. In December 2019, tight end Tyler Higbee ignited for 522 receiving yards and two touchdowns. But catching 69 of 89 passes for 734 yards and three touchdowns seems like a modest season total from that spectacular one-month spike.

And the curious aspect of the Rams' offense is that their offensive architect, HC Sean McVay, got his NFL offensive feet wet by designing plays for the Washington Commanders, an offense that featured talented tight ends like Jordan Reed and Chris Cooley.

In 2017, the Rams were happy to split the workload between tight ends Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee, but over time, the value of the tight end in the offense has waned a bit. So how productive have the Rams' tight ends been since 2017? Let's list it out and find out:

All tight ends offensive production

  • 2017 - 49 of 88 | 610 receiving yards | 3 TDs
  • 2018 - 57 of 85 | 617 receiving yards | 5 TDs
  • 2019 - 110 of 156 | 1,168 receiving yards | 5 TDs
  • 2020 - 89 of 126 | 991 receiving yards | 6 TDs
  • 2021 - 67 ot 94 | 615 receiving yards | 5 TDs
  • 2022 - 81 of 121 | 764 receiving yards | 3 TDs
  • 2023 - 62 of 88 | 668 receiving yards | 3 TDs
  • 2024 - 51 of 84 | 459 receiving yards | 3 TDs

As you can see, the Rams have varied their commitment to the tight position, but even as the number of receptions, targets, and receiving yards have swung back and forth like the pendulum of a grandfather clock, the Rams have been limited in points scored from the position. In eight seasons, the tight ends have scored three TDs four times, five TDs three times, and six TDs just once.

With those numbers, you have to wonder why the Rams view the tight end position as one worthy of a significant investment. Of late, the tight end position has seen limited effectiveness, and the group of four players was unable to put up even 500 receiving yards. That was not only disappointing, it was historically pathetic for this team.

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