The pieces are all in place for the Rams’ offense to be the behemoth it was supposed to be a year ago, before a series of injuries derailed it.
Entering Week 1 this year, the Rams have filled some of the gaps that became apparent a year ago. Davante Adams is here to give them a true red-zone threat. Rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson can make a difference on third down. Fellow rookie Jarquez Hunter can provide a change of pace at running back. And most importantly, the Rams are healthier now than they were a year ago.
Whether or not that holds true through the early weeks of the season, however, especially for quarterback Matthew Stafford, will determine how much success the Rams’ offense has.
Stafford, 37, missed all but the last two weeks of training camp with an aggravated disk in his back. But his two weeks of practice went well, with Stafford being able to participate fully, and he’s cleared and ready to start Sunday’s season opener against the Houston Texans.
But backs are different than other parts of the body. Just ask Stafford, who’s dealt with more than his share of back injuries. They can linger, and being cleared to play doesn’t mean you’re in the clear.
Stafford acknowledged this reality after his first week of practice in August, saying, “It’s something that I’ll manage like I do a million other things throughout the year.” And it’s something that should be top of mind when the quarterback takes his first hit against the Texans this weekend.
Here’s a preview of the Rams’ offense entering 2025:
Quarterback
Starter: Matthew Stafford
Backups: Jimmy Garoppolo, Stetson Bennett IV
With Stafford missing as much time in camp as he did, Garoppolo and Bennett benefited from an increase in practice reps that should serve them well if called upon during the regular season.
Running back
Starter: Kyren Williams
Backups: Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter
After his extension, Williams remains the clear workhorse in the backfield. But it’ll be interesting to see if the Rams use Corum and Hunter in different roles to spell Williams. Corum was an elite goal-line back in college, while Hunter’s speed could keep defenses on their toes.
Wide receiver
Starters: Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell
Backups: Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, Konata Mumpfield
It’s been six years since the Rams had two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season, but Nacua and Adams could be the pair to reach that mark together. The duo complement each other well. They’re both capable of lining up wide or in the slot, but like to operate in different portions of the field. Adams is more reliable on targets of 20 yards or more, while Nacua likes to operate behind the line of scrimmage on screens. There should be plenty of targets to go around between the two.
As for the rest of the corps, expect Atwell, Whittington and Smith to play similar roles in the offense. All three worked on jet sweeps during training camp and can be used to take the top off a defense and create more room underneath for other targets to operate, though Atwell’s speed is a one-of-one trait.
Tight end
Starter: Tyler Higbee
Backups: Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, Terrance Ferguson
This is likely the deepest tight end room the Rams have had during the Sean McVay era. All three of Higbee, Parkinson and Allen can play in both run and pass situations, while Ferguson will likely be limited to a more pass-catching role as a rookie after all the time he missed in camp with a groin injury.
But with these four tight ends on the roster, it begs the question of whether this is the year – finally, after years of teasing – that the Rams actually utilize more 12- and 13-personnel to complement McVay’s preferred 11-personnel lineups. The Rams’ use of multi-tight end sets benefited them in two matchups with the Vikings last season, and it could be a good way to make defenses think run and create space for Nacua and Adams downfield.
Offensive line
Starters: Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Rob Havenstein
Backups: D.J. Humphries, David Quessenberry, Warren McClendon, Beaux Limmer, Justin Dedich
Last year at this time, Jackson was suspended for two games and Havenstein was nursing an ankle injury, setting up a difficult start of the season for the line as a whole. Now the group is healthy, even if Jackson will still have to monitor the blood clots that limited him in camp. And the Rams have a much more experienced group of backups than a year ago; Humphries and Quessenberry are veterans, while McClendon, Limmer and Dedich got a lot of reps last year as injuries plagued the line.