What Does the 22-Year-Old Tight End’s Preseason Rookie Debut Mean for the Rams?
After suffering a groin injury, Rams’ top drafted rookie Terrance Ferguson was kept out of much of training camp and the first two weeks of preseason action. Ferguson was cleared for Week Three of the Preseason and made his debut in the first half of the Rams’ matchup against the Browns. Unlike other Rams preseason pass catchers, Ferguson did not get the opportunity to catch passes from Stetson Bennett. Instead, Ferguson connected with Dresser Winn on two out of his three targets for 48 total receiving yards. This included a 33-yard ball that was placed just over Ferguson’s back shoulder that he ran in for a touchdown before it was ultimately ruled that he stepped out of bounds after completing the reception.
With how important training camp and preseason touches are for rookies to get acclimated to NFL speed, it was encouraging to see Ferguson out there getting separation and looking explosive. When the Rams drafted Terrance Ferguson 46th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the hope was that they had found their tight end of the future, as Tyler Higbee is set to play his 10th season at 32 years of age. The Rams have evidently been trying to accomplish this goal over the past few years, drafting Davis Allen in the fifth round in 2023 and reportedly trying to trade up last year to get Brock Bowers. Ferguson playing well in his rookie preseason debut gives little indication of the ramifications of him meeting this goal in the coming years. It is always a good thing to see a team’s top rookie playing well, regardless of the situation.
What we can take away from this debut is what it can potentially mean for the Rams’ 2025 campaign and the potential lineups available to Sean McVay and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. For a few years now, fans have been wondering if McVay will return to his roots in Washington as a tight ends coach and operate the Rams with more 12-personnel. In 2024, the Rams had the seventh-lowest rate of 12-personnel at a mere 13.94% rate. In 2025, a tight end room of Higbee, Ferguson, the veteran Colby Parkinson, and potentially Allen, if the Rams decide to keep four tight ends, might be too talented not to run more 12-personnel groupings. Coming out of Oregon, Ferguson was touted for his catch radius and route-running abilities, two attributes Ferguson has already displayed in his limited time in the preseason. If Terrance Ferguson’s talents in this regard are real and ready to go, we could see the Rams’ offensive system evolve in a way that is completely new in McVay’s ninth season in LA
