The Secret to the Rams' Long-Term Success

"When you're talking about the look teams and the looks that they're trying to replicate, especially on these Wednesdays, Thursdays and the minimal reps that we get on Friday, it is key and critical. I look at it as we've got 53 guys on the active roster. We have a handful of guys on our practice squad, but they're all Rams. They know how valuable it is."

"I know this, our guys really appreciate and value the contributions that everybody has that lead towards hopefully getting those results that we want on Sunday. I think it's our job to be able to continuously find ways to call guys up on what a great job that they're doing. That's been consistent with this group for sure.”

The Opportunities For Greatness

Whether on the practice squad or on the roster, there's always a way to make a name in the Rams. The team has used a plethora of cheap free agents, undrafted free agents, and day three draft picks to win conference and league titles. In fact, Jared Verse is the only first-round player on the Rams defense who wasn't released in their career. Everyone else falls under the categories of overlooked, undervalued, and forgotten about.

After another dominant season, those players have been properly graded for their efforts.

Before Terrance Ferguson was able to display his talent to the NFL, he had to do so behind the scenes against one of the best defenses in the league. The team's constant training and emphasis of iron sharpening iron has produced continuous contributors who's origins are as unique as their journey.

For Ferguson, it was his display that gave the Rams the confidence to play him more.

“On the ‘Look Team.’ There's a lot of stuff and I mentioned this the other day when I was talking to [Rams Play-by-Play Announcer] J.B. Long, you see some of the things that he was able to do and you're saying, ‘Man, maybe we should get those plays in,’ because he's doing an excellent job of bringing some of that stuff to life against a great defense that we have and a lot of really talented guys on the back end," stated McVay. "I think he's just continued to work. He's stayed humble. He's waited for his opportunity and he's going to continue to earn more as we go. It's a really fun group to work with and I'm excited about his future.”

Replacing Talent With Talent

With Ferguson's playing time having increased in recent weeks due to his work ethic lining up with the Rams' new 13 personnel offense, that created a vacany for the franchise to fill. They signed athletic tight end Nick Muse to replace Ferguson and while Muse has a long way to go before he is able to start battling for playing time, he's also a moment away from being thrusted into the NFL's latest offensive evolution.

“That's right," stated McVay regarding if the Rams signed Muse to have another scout team TE. "That's exactly right. There's a part of it too that has to do with some of the special teams yards that we accumulate. [Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance] Reggie [Scott] and [Coordinator of Performance Science] Trent [Frey] and those guys, they do such a great job of being able to track…I look at it as our football team plus the practice squad guys, that's our team and what are the workloads?"

"Where are some different ways that we can supplement maybe some guys that are getting a little bit higher in terms of their volume and that was a position because of some of the things that you're asking about, but also special teams. Some of those mid-level body types that can still be able to cover in space and do a lot of different things. But yes, that was a part of it to bring [Tight End Nick] Muse in.”

Each player is just one call-up away from playing in the big time.