The Los Angeles Rams’ 2025 second-round pick was a ghost in Week 1.
Rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson didn’t play a single snap on offense and only five total special teams snaps in the Rams’ win over the Houston Texans.
Meanwhile, the rest of the tight ends ahead of him on the depth cycled in and out of the lineup with relative success. Tyler Higbee led the way with a 58% snap share, followed by Colby Parkinson (48%) and Davis Allen (37%). Higbee didn’t record a catch, though, while Parkinson caught two for -6 yards and Davis Allen hauled in a 13-yard touchdown.
Ferguson clearly wasn’t ready to be integrated into the offense in Week 1, but that makes sense given how his summer went. The rookie missed two weeks with a groin injury and didn’t make his preseason debut until Aug. 23. While Ferguson had a solid outing in that game (two receptions on three targets for 48 yards), head coach Sean McVay noted after the game that the rookie needed to “finish a little bit better” with his blocking in the run game.
That comment is the best indication of where McVay’s head is at with Ferguson’s usage in 2025. The big-bodied tight end caught 134 passes for 1,537 yards and 16 touchdowns in 53 games at Oregon, but he wasn’t known as a blocker during his time in college. McVay’s offense thrives when its pass-catchers can also block, and it doesn’t seem like Ferguson is quite there yet in order to be integrated fully into the system.
Plus, as noted earlier, Ferguson is still on a delayed development program after missing time with an injury. Losing those early reps matters to young players, especially at a position like tight end, where you’re tasked with blocking and catching.
It’s hard to determine exactly when Ferguson will make a name for himself in the offense, but McVay seems content on letting the rookie learn the nuances of blocking first (in practice and on special teams) before giving him offensive snaps. And that’s fine, as the trio of Higbee, Parkinson and Allen did enough to help deliver the win for L.A. It doesn’t seem like the offense utilizes tight ends as pass-catchers much in 2025 yet, anyway.
Tight ends typically take longer to develop anyway, while players like Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta are outliers on their own. Ferguson will need some time to get a better feel for NFL play before McVay trusts him enough on offense.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: When will Rams rookie Terrance Ferguson get a shot at TE?
Reporting by Tyler Greenawalt, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
