Rams Film Review: Breaking Down Terrance Ferguson's Debut

One of the key players this season will be rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson, the Rams' first draft selection this spring. He made his NFL debut last Saturday against the Cleveland Browns in the preseason finale, catching two passes for 41 yards.

It was an impressive debut, but it wasn't the catches that made him impressive. What happened beyond the box score showcased a player who can be both a weapon and a developmental blocker. I chose three plays from Ferguson's debut to highlight areas where he needs to improve and aspects of his game that show his potential as a rookie.

Work in Progress: run blocking ability

The best tight ends in the NFL are generally great blockers or, at worst, average. However, those average-blocking tight ends must have a quality or high-end pass-catching ability to compensate the shortcomings for one area over another.

Ferguson was known for his pass-catching prowess, and we'll touch on that in a moment. Right now, we're looking into where he needs to improve, and based on the first play of the game, it's certainly a work in progress.

Ferguson is lined up as an in-line man with Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire in the 7-technique to his left. All the former Oregon Duck has to do is hold the point of attack and anchor just enough to stall McGuire momentarily.

The result is a bust block for all the wrong reasons: Ferguson's hands are late, his placement is wide, leaving his chest plate exposed. That allows McGuire to quickly get his hands on Ferguson to stack and shed around him. An anchor couldn't even be attempted, and the power was lacking even when he made contact.

This shows that Ferguson must continue to build more strength and mass in his frame, and play with more technique to win early in his career as he works through a full offseason of a league strength and conditioning program.

Ferguson, the safety mismatch

As I noted before, Ferguson's pass-catching ability is going to be his ultimate strength as a rookie and likely into his second year. What helps here is that he is fairly refined as a receiver and provides ample athleticism for his position, making him a potential big slot nightmare.

This play below doesn't bestow a big-time play from Ferguson, but it does showcase his ability as a route runner. Ferguson is once again lined up in line. Off the snap, he showcases good tempo and footwork in his route against the safety. The motion showcases man coverage, so the matchup is there to take advantage of.

Ferguson does a good job selling the vertical route before a hard break inside for the dig, generating separation and availability for his quarterback. This will be the case for much of the season, as tight ends and nickel defenders could have some difficulties.

Let's look at another play, again, a no-catch one that will make the box score addicts roll their eyes. This is where Ferguson will make his money this season as he is lined up as a big slot on the close side of the field.

Once again, the Rams second-round pick exhibits good route tempo with the burst to erase the cushion between him and the safety. As soon as he gets the safety flat-footed, he takes off and has room to run if the ball is placed in front of him in stride.

Overall, Ferguson is like any other rookie who will need to have patience as he transitions to the speed and size of the game. Tight ends have a longer transition period than most positions, but sometimes the result turns in the team's favor. The Rams have high hopes for Ferguson, who has the potential to be a playmaker early in his career.

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