Latest news with #TerranceFerguson
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rams rookie Terrance Ferguson says he has some similar traits to Travis Kelce
After the Los Angeles Rams drafted Terrance Ferguson, Sean McVay made some bold comparisons for the rookie tight end. He sees similarities between Ferguson and Travis Kelce, as well as former Pro Bowl tight end Chris Cooley, whom McVay coached in Washington. McVay isn't the only one who sees Kelce's game in Ferguson's because the rookie tight end himself feels the same way. During an interview on ESPN LA, Ferguson was asked which tight end he plays like and he immediately mentioned Kelce. 'I take a lot of things from everybody's game,' he said. 'I try to be a student of the game and learn a lot from different people. I feel like some of the running routes and things at the top of the routes, I feel like I have some movements like Travis Kelce and that's one of the best ever. I definitely model my game and watch a lot of his tape just because he's so special at the top of his route and after the catch and I feel like I have similar movement patterns as him. But then there's other guys like Mark Andrews and George Kittle that are workhorses. You can learn something from a wide receiver out here on a release. You can learn from everybody, so I try to pick a little bit of everything but I would say definitely Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews.' Ferguson and Kelce are both around 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, so their frames are akin to one another. Kelce has been arguably the best tight end of this generation, so Ferguson has a long way to go before he reaches the All-Pro's level. But it's never a bad thing to model your game after a superstar. Both players are savvy route runners and incredibly dangerous after the catch, which the Rams are sure to take full advantage of his skill set this season. If he becomes anything like the player that Kelce is, Los Angeles will have hit a home run in the second round. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' Terrance Ferguson says he has similar traits to Travis Kelce
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Offloading a TE is easier said than done
The Los Angeles Rams seem to have a long jam at tight end, at least from a numbers perspective. Veteran Tyler Higbee is pretty much inked as the starter and is more than a full year removed from the significant knee injury that occurred in a 2023 wildcard game. When Higbee returned last season, he gave a significant boost to the offense, specially in the red zone. Advertisement Rookie Terrance Ferguson could potentially unseat Higbee as the starter at some point this season; however, it is important to remember that TE's typically have a long growth curve when transitioning to the professional game. Few hit the ground running, although Sam LaPorta for the Detroit Lions and Brock Bowers for the Las Vegas Raiders are strong counterpoints in recent seasons. If Ferguson is ready for a key role on offense, then Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen could become expendable for LA. It's worth keeping one of these players around given Higbee's lengthy injury history. You probably don't need both. Parkinson joined the Rams during free agency last year and signed to a three-year, $22.5M deal. At the time LA did not have a starting tight end because Higbee was unlikely to start the season healthy, so at this point we can chalk this up to desperate money chasing less than ideal solutions. Despite playing a career-record number of snaps for the Rams last season (601), Parkinson hauled in just 30 catches for 294 receiving yards and a single touchdown over the regular season. If the Rams were expecting a breakout year from the big TE, it simply did not come to fruition. Advertisement In Allen's second season, he increased his share of snaps from 192 to 308. In terms of receiving production, however, his sophomore campaign was a disappointment. Allen caught 10 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown as a rookie, but in year two he caught just six passes for 39 yards. Would Rams move either Parkinson or Allen? You might look at the stats and say that neither player have much trade value. But I'd point out that Hunter Long—who caught seven passes for 60 yards with LA last year—signed a two-year, $5M deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. As Sean McVay's coaching tree grows and teams across the NFL continue deploying adjacent schemes, there will always be demand for players with a proof of concept in McVay's system. Advertisement Trading Parkinson at this stage would save the Rams $5.5M in 2025 and $5M in 2026, after accounting for dead money. Cutting him makes little difference this year but would clear up nearly $5M for next season. Injuries happen in training camp and teams don't want to see their playoff hopes dashed before they even begin. There will be opportunities to move Parkinson or Allen if this is important to the Rams. Finding a trade partner is easier said than done The Miami Dolphins make sense for more veteran depth after trading Jonnu Smith, but they acquired Darren Waller after he un-retired. Still, it's a big gamble to count on a player after he spent time away from football. They could use more assurances. Advertisement Nearly every other team has an entrenched starter or has recently used draft capital to turn an eye toward the future. If those players don't develop as expected, someone could find the idea of adding a veteran alluring. More from
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks TE room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the wide receivers as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks TE Check-In The Oregon Ducks saw one of the best tight ends in program history, Terrance Ferguson, leave for the NFL after the 2024 season. Despite that, you'd be hard-pressed to find many fans who aren't arguably more excited to see what's to come at the position in 2025, with all due respect to Ferguson. It's Kenyon Sadiq season in Eugene, and expectations are high for the junior TE who has been touted as one of the best players on the team and one of the best tight ends in the nation. He's shown flashes of brilliance over the past two years, and now, as the clear-cut TE1 — and with a bigger role due to the Evan Stewart injury — the runway is clear for takeoff. Departing Oregon Ducks Tight Ends Career Stats: 53 games, 134 receptions, 1,537 yards, 16 touchdowns Analysis: Terrance Ferguson will be remembered as one of the best tight ends in program history, and that's quite a list. Oregon has had more than its fair share of elite tight ends, and Ferguson is among the best. His athleticism stands out, and he should be a quality player in the NFL. The Ducks will miss him dearly. Career Stats: 43 games, 31 receptions, 388 yards, 4 touchdowns Analysis: If you look up the word perseverance in the dictionary, you might see Patrick Herbert's face. He went through several injuries as a Duck and just kept going. He missed the 2020 and 2021 seasons and was hampered in 2022. Herbert was finally healthy in 2023, and he showed glimpses of what he could do with 15 catches and three touchdowns. While Herbert never reached the level of "star" in Eugene, he was among the fan favorites and could have a valuable role at the next level if he gets a chance to earn his spot on a 53-man roster. Returning Oregon Ducks Tight Ends Career Stats: 28 games, 29 receptions, 332 yards, 3 touchdowns Analysis: Kenyon Sadiq is primed to have a breakout season in 2025 and become Oregon's next great tight end. The Big Ten got an eyeful of Sadiq in the Big Ten Championship Game with his two touchdowns, including one where he leaped over the defender and strolled into the end zone. He might be the most athletic and talented tight end the Ducks have had in quite some time, and the Ducks expect Sadiq to be an all-conference performer this year. Career Stats: None Analysis: Saleapaga is one of a few young tight ends on the Oregon roster, and he is just waiting for his time to come. With Sadiq and Jamari Johnson (Louisville) ahead on the depth chart, Saleapaga will compete for playing time. Saleapaga hauled in 46 receptions for 671 yards and five touchdowns as a senior in 2023 before redshirting with the Ducks last year. He suffered a knee injury late in the year, but was making good progress during spring football and could have a role in the offense this season. Career Stats: None Analysis: Pugliano, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound tight end, was one of the best players in the state of Oregon out of North Medford High School. He redshirted the 2024 season, but may see some time on the field next year in some capacity. Incoming Oregon Ducks Tight Ends Career Stats: 12 games, 13 receptions, 158 yards, 1 TD Analysis: Johnson, out of Inglewood, Calif., is a physical presence at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds. He played in five games as a true freshman and just seven games this past season due to injury. Louisville's loss could be a massive gain for the Ducks. He was one of the top players to enter the portal, and Dan Lanning was able to get him. Major recruiting outlets rated Johnson a four-star athlete, and he was voted to the 247Sports' 2023 Freaks List. Career Stats: None Analysis: Vander Ploog was the only tight end signed out of high school in this latest recruiting class. He is a four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals, and the 247Sports Composite and viewed as the top tight end prospect out of California and No. 4 nationally at the position by Rivals, coming in as the No. 161 overall recruit in the 2025 class. Ploog tallied over 2,200 yards and 37 touchdowns in a three-year career at Troy High School in Fullerton, Calif. Predicting Oregon Ducks Starting Tight End Prediction: Kenyon Sadiq After waiting his time behind Terrance Ferguson for the past two years, it feels like 2025 is Kenyon Sadiq's time to shine. He has flashed with the ball in his hands over the last couple of seasons, and fans have been begging for him to have a bigger role in the offense. It feels like that should be coming this season at long last, though Louisville transfer Jamari Johnson will also have a role in the offense. Overall Oregon Ducks TE Outlook The Ducks are in good hands at the TE position this season, but beyond that, there are questions. Sadiq could very well enter the 2026 NFL draft if he has the type of year that we expect him to. Oregon also has a commitment from 5-star TE Kendre Harrison, the No. 2 TE in the nation in the 2026 class, but it's not fair to expect him to have a significant impact as a starter in 2026. So, who will step up next year between Sadiq, should he declare, and Harrison in 2027? That's the major question. We will see who can establish themselves as the standout from the group this season. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Reuters
6 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Rams ink rookie TE Terrance Ferguson, finalize 2025 draft class
July 19 - The Los Angeles Rams officially signed tight end Terrance Ferguson to a four-year, $9.71 million rookie contract on Saturday, finalizing their 2025 draft class just ahead of training camp. Ferguson, the 46th overall pick out of Oregon, received approximately $8.05 million in guaranteed money, roughly 83 percent of the total deal, setting a new benchmark for his draft slot. The contract reflects a growing trend among second-round picks who are demanding and receiving more guaranteed money, following several top selections in the round securing fully guaranteed deals. Ferguson appeared in 53 games for the Oregon Ducks, recording 134 catches, 1,537 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns over four seasons. The 2024 season was his best from a statistical standpoint, catching 43 passes for 591 yards with Dillon Gabriel under center for the Ducks. Now under contract, Ferguson is expected to integrate into the Rams' offense quickly. He will enter camp as the presumed No. 2 tight end behind veteran Tyler Higbee. Rams training camp will begin on July 23 at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Their preseason schedule begins Aug. 9 with a home game against the Dallas Cowboys. --Field Level Media
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Oregon Ducks TE Terrance Ferguson inks rookie deal with Los Angeles Rams
Former Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson signed his rookie deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday morning, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The four-year, $9,713,466 contract comes with $8,046,753 guaranteed. Ferguson was selected 46th overall in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, landing in a favorable spot with the Rams. He was the first Duck TE drafted since 2010, when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected David Paulson in the third round. The deal was signed later than usual, as second-round rookies and their agents have pushed for more guaranteed money on their rookie deals this offseason. Across four seasons with the Ducks, Ferguson left as Oregon's all-time leader among TE's in receptions (134) and ranked second all-time in receiving yards (1,537). He had an especially excellent 2024 campaign, finishing as an All-Big Ten third-team performer and was on the John Mackey Award watch list for the best tight end in the country in 2024. He tied the Oregon single-season record for receptions by a TE with 43 while finishing second in single-season history with 591 receiving yards. By the time the season ended, Ferguson was in the end zone three times in 2024 and totaled 16 touchdowns for his career. Now with the Rams, Ferguson has a chance to once again impress under head coach and offensive wiz Sean McVay. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is also one of the purest passers in the league, giving the former Duck a nice runway to begin his NFL career. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
