The Los Angeles Rams are set to undergo an offensive identity change this offseason as they lean into more 13 personnel and heavier tight end formations. Throug
Jun 2, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Imagesand heavier tight end formations.
Throughout the Sean McVay era, the Rams have primarily been a team that operates out of 11 personnel with three wide receivers, however, that is set to change in 2026. Last season, the Rams found something when they were forced to use 13 personnel in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Rams beat the Jaguars 35-7, scoring four of their five touchdowns out of 13 personnel.
By the end of the season, the Rams ran 30.5 percent of their offensive snaps out of 13 personnel and generated 77.4 total EPA... Jordan Whittington also saw his weekly snap count drop. With the Rams not using three wide receivers on the field at the same time, there wasn’t as much of a need for that player. Still, especially in the case of Atwell, he provided something that the other receivers didn’t.
Atwell was a proven vertical threat and had speed that defenses had to respect. Even if the Rams move to more 13 personnel, that’s a role they’ll still need on offense. The lack of a deep threat became an issue in 2020, which was the worst offense in the McVay era outside of the disastrous 2022 season. They averaged -0.01 EPA per play, which ranked 23rd in the NFL..
After trading Brandin Cooks, the lack of a deep threat became apparent. Defenses were able to play their cornerbacks tighter at the line of scrimmage and safeties could squeeze down and focus on taking away the Rams’ play-action crossing routes.
As a result, Jared Goff ranked 26th out of 39 qualifying quarterbacks in completions of 20 or more yards. Goff completed just 30.2 percent of his passes of 20 or more yards, which ranked 32nd. Atwell barely played last year and this wasn’t an issue with the offense.
However, the Rams’ 13 personnel looks will be less of a surprise to defenses as they have a full offseason to prepare and adjust.before training camp. Diggs caught eight of 11 deep targets for a success rate of 72.7 percent, which led the NFL. With the Patriots, Diggs showed that he still has the ability to force defenses to respect him vertically. The Rams were able to get by with Xavier Smith last year in this role.
Smith’s average depth of target of 40 yards on deep passes led the NFL. Additionally, his 19.3 yards per route run ranked eighth. Smith also caught 3-of-7 deep targets, which was the same efficiency as Atwell last season.
However, in a Super Bowl window, Smith isn’t necessarily a player that the Rams will want to rely on consistently. While the Rams may not have a prototypical deep threat, stressing the defense vertically is something that they should still be able to do out of 13 personnel. The Rams have been mindful of the tight ends that they’ve added, ensuring different skill sets..
Coming into the draft in 2025, Ferguson ran the fastest 40-yard dash among tight ends with a 4.63. Ferguson may have had a quiet rookie season, but throughout the season he showed an ability to win at all levels of the field.15 of TE Terrance Ferguson's 31 targets were 20+ yards downfieldJune 9, 2026 When it comes to a vertical threat in the offense, the Rams need someone who can do more than just run fast.
They need a player who forces safeties to defend every blade of grass. That's exactly what Ferguson does. Back in 2020, defenses didn’t have to fear getting beat deep, which is why the passing game felt condensed despite having talented wide receivers. Ferguson could be the answer to the potential deep ball problem.
As a rookie, he had the most deep targets among tight ends with 13. That was despite playing just 38.7 percent of the snaps on offense. Ferguson was arguably the best tight end on deep targets as a rookie with two of his three touchdowns also coming on those plays. That’s not to say that a player like Diggs wouldn’t be useful or have a role in the offense.
It wouldn’t hurt to have a receiver who can be trusted to win down the field. At the same time, it’s very possible that role will primarily fall on Ferguson in 2026. He has the speed to beat linebackers vertically and his size is a matchup nightmare for defensive backs. Ferguson only caught 1-of-5 contested targets last season.
However, with more experience and as he and Stafford get on the same page, that should improve. Ferguson answers the Rams’ problem of a deep threat in the offense. As a tight end who can run like a wide receiver, he has the speed to stress defenses vertically. If Ferguson can prove to be successful in this area, it could make the Rams’ 13 personnel very difficult to defend.
Blaine Grisak is the Lead Publisher for Rams on SI covering the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to joining On Sports Illustrated, he covered the Rams for TurfShow Times, attending events such as the NFL Draft, NFL Combine, and Senior Bowl. A graduate of Northeastern University, Blaine grew up in Montana.
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