Turf Show Times
Nearly everyone expected the Los Angeles Rams and Sean McVay to add another receiver this offseason behind Puka Nacua and late-career Davante Adams. Materially speaking, they did not.
That’s not to say that LA didn’t have a chance to add another starting-level receiver. They instead opted not to.
The Rams could have targeted a mid-tier free agent like Romeo Doubs, Jalen Nailor, Tyquan Thornton, Olamide Zaccheaus, or others. LA focused on defense and special teams by adding Jaylen Watson, Grant Stuard, and a long snapper.
Infamously, USC WR Makai Lemon was on the board when LA was on the clock in the first round at 13th overall. The team maintains they attempted to trade back, but ultimately stayed and picked quarterback Ty Simpson. It was immediately evident that the Rams felt compelled to stay aggressive with their future draft picks after selecting their signal caller of the future. They could have traded back into the first round for, say, Omar Cooper. They stayed pat.
And to throw fuel on the fire, the Rams drafted Max Klare on day two—marking back-to-back draft classes with tight ends in the second round (Terrance Ferguson in 2025).
Convention is telling us Los Angeles needs a third receiver. The team doesn’t seem concerned at all.
If we are reading the tea leaves, are the Rams planning to shift away from their historical usage of 11 personnel under McVay? Is this now primarily a 12 and 13 personnel team?
Our first sign of a potential change cam in the playoffs, where the third receiver was on the field 50% less than they were in the regular season:
If the Rams are at least in 12 personnel—meaning that (two of) Ferguson, Allen, or Higbee are on the field with Parkinson, then one of the receivers must come off. These complimentary tight ends were on the field more often than the reserve receivers in Whittington, Mumpfield, and Smith. The tight ends also saw more targets. We can conclude the overall usage numbers are roughly the same, but that is still a significant takeaway for what could be in store for the 2026 Rams.
This isn’t the same offense we are accustomed to that will operate primarily out of 11 personnel. The third receiver role was devalued by more than 50% in the playoffs, and that is the benchmark we should be using into next season.
The Rams could also lean further into their tight end usage now that Ferguson will be more experienced in year two and with the addition of second round draftee Max Klare. This would further diminish the production potential for the receivers after Nacua and Adams.
Yes – it seems the Rams have a hole at WR#3. This is no longer the same offense. It doesn’t make sense for the Rams to pay a premium for a third receiver when they could be on the field at least 50% less often in 2026.
LA has...
