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

Third time is the charm

When the Rams faced the exodus of former tight end Brycen Hopkins, the team sprang into action, attempting to find a rookie tight end who could deliver to the expectations of the role that Hopkins was supposed to fill. The Rams allowed veteran TE Gerald Everett to sign elsewhere, but the team understood that a tight end receiver who could haul in 62.3 percent of passes thrown his way, and could put up more than 300 receiving yards per season.

The Rams made an effort in the 2023 NFL Draft to trade into Round 1 to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid. He has averaged a 70.5 percent catch rate, 560 yards, and two touchdowns per season in his first two years playing for the Buffalo Bills. Is that level of production worth the cost of trading up?

The Rams made an effort to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft as well. This time, the target was tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers was even more impressive, catching 73.2 percent of passes thrown his way for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns in his only NFL season.

Is Terrance Ferguson going to put up numbers at that level? Almost certainly not. The entire Rams tight end room has never matched the rookie performance of Bowers, so we have to set realistic expectations for Ferguson. And even then, it's virtually impossible to project Ferguson higher than a second tight end option. Even that may be optimistic.

But don't mistake his rate of participation in the offense for his ultimate upside. We know that RB Kyren Williams stepped up in a big way in his second season. Ferguson will be eased into this offense. So, how can anyone be certain that he will define the role in the future?

This is it as far as Tyler Higbee's successor

Even as the Rams roster has continued to add young players as veterans sign elsewhere or retire, the Rams offense has relied upon the experience and leadership of veterans. The Rams still boast QB Matthew Stafford, RT Rob Havenstein, and TE Tyler Higbee. And the presence of all three veterans has resulted in the same challenge at all three positions: Who will be the successor?

We can debate who may or may not succeed Stafford or Havenstein, but it would be a difficult claim to make to suggest that Terrance Ferguson is not earmarked to become the Rams' primary tight end when Tyler Higbee retires.

Now, the coaching staff has the challenging undertaking of preparing him for that important role.

The Rams are not going to turn over the keys and hope that Ferguson can figure it out. But there is no value to the team or player to select him in Round 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, only to sit him on the bench and hope he learns by sitting and observing.

The optimal and obvious compromise is to amplify the frequency of 12-personnel plays in the offense, and ensure that Ferguson is used as often as possible in those offensive sub-packages. In that way, the Rams can test Ferguson's aptitude at blocking and catching while maintaining a veteran presence on the football field as an alternative option.

Terrance Ferguson doesn't have to deliver in 2025, but he will. Rams HC Sean McVay has already shown enthusiasm over coaching Ferguson, and given generous accolades by comparing him to two elite NFL tight ends. You see, Coach McVay is all about praising his players, but he measures his words carefully. His comments on Terrance Ferguson are the equivalent of gushing praise.

If that doesn't mean much to you, you've missed a huge endorsement. Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson can be the impact player Coach McVay has sought for years. Better still, he will deliver.

As always, thanks for reading.

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