Rams insider reveals unexpected answer to team’s WR problem

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Key points

• It was actually tight end Colby Parkinson who finished third on the team last season in total receptions (43), targets (56), yards (408) and touchdowns (8).
• If Ferguson takes the next step in his expansion and maturation in 2026, he could surpass Parkinson as the Rams' "WR3" behind Nacua and Adams.
• Ferguson measured 6-foot-5 and 247 pounds at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
• But the Rams have four tight ends on their depth chart including veteran Tyler Higbee, a trusted route runner, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson.
• His 13 targets traveling at least 20 yards downfield ranked third on the Rams behind Nacua and Adams.

Notably, the Los Angeles Rams' perceived WR3 difficulty may not be much of a concern inside the building.

According to California Post senior sports reporter Michael Duarte, the Rams are projected to apply a committee when it comes to that role behind star receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

Konata Mumpfield, Jordan Whittington and Xavier Smith are projected to secure snaps at the WR3 position this season. Mumpfield is slated as the backup to Adams in case of injury on the outside, and Whittington would be the backup to Nacua on the inside/outside role.

Nevertheless, if you look at recent history, the actual third receiving option might not be a receiver at all.

Los Angeles began last season primarily using 11 personnel – one running back, one tight end and three receivers. After its rose apply of two-tight-end sets produced uneven results, the offense discovered greater success with 13 personnel, featuring three tight ends and one receiver.

For context, the package worked since each tight end on the roster filled a different role.

It was actually tight end Colby Parkinson who finished third on the team last season in total receptions (43), targets (56), yards (408) and touchdowns (8). Parkinson became a preferred target behind Nacua and Adams for NFL MVP Matthew Stafford thanks in sizeable part to his balanced combination of receiving and blocking.

Through the first month of training camp, Ferguson has impressed the most. He enters his sophomore season after getting drafted in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft from Oregon.

Meanwhile, the increasingly positionless nature of modern offense makes that feasible. Ferguson can stretch the field from the slot or perimeter on one play, then align beside a tackle and block on the next. Coach Sean McVay can change formations and assignments without substituting personnel.

Ferguson's physical similarity to wide receiver Mike Evans helps illustrate his potential as a supersized vertical target.

Ferguson measured 6-foot-5 and 247 pounds at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Evans measured just under 6-5 and 231 pounds in 2014. Evans ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds, only one-tenth faster than Ferguson's 4.63.

Ferguson is not yet comparable to one of the greatest receivers of his generation. The point is that McVay has a more positionally versatile version of the same physical archetype: an enormous downfield target who can work from multiple alignments while contributing to the running game. Ferguson demonstrated that potential as a rookie.

His 13 targets traveling at least 20 yards downfield ranked third on the Rams behind Nacua and Adams. Ferguson caught five for 144 yards and finished the season with 11 receptions for 231 yards and three touchdowns.

His 21 yards per reception led all NFL tight ends. He additionally produced six catches covering at least 25 yards, the most by a Rams rookie tight end in 35 years.

Notably, the Rams have already treated Ferguson more like a receiving weapon than an extra offensive lineman. He ran 169 routes and handled 163 run-blocking assignments but remained in pass protection only twice.

That versatility became especially valuable when McVay moved away from his longtime dependence on three-receiver formations.

Regardless of which personnel package McVay decides to run the most this season, tight ends will obtain a lot of snaps and targets in the offense. Whether it's Parkinson, Ferguson, Higbee or Allen, the real "WR3" for the Rams this season will probable be one of them.

Three-receiver formations remain significant, but the term "WR3" assumes an offense must find its third target at wide receiver. If Ferguson takes another step in his development, he can provide that production without the Rams forcing a wideout into the role.

In practice, the answer to their WR3 question may have been hiding in a different position room all along.

In short, rams insider reveals unexpected answer to team's WR problem is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.