The Los Angeles Rams are not just talking about using a ton of tight ends this season, they’re actually doing it. In Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, they cranked their 13 personnel usage to a wild 36.8% of snaps. That’s not just high; it’s a massive 6.3 percentage points higher than their league-leading rate from the 2025 season!
They Talked About It, Then They *Actually* Did It
Seriously, the Rams committed. All offseason long, Sean McVay and the crew kept telling everyone they wanted to build on last year’s tight end involvement, even referencing their pick of Max Klare. And guess what? They put their money where their mouth is. They had eight tight ends in training camp, kept five on their 53-man roster to start the season, and even stashed another one on the practice squad. They even scouted the position so well they flipped a guy who was probably gonna get cut for a Day 3 draft pick! When you see that kind of investment in cash value, draft capital, and roster spots, it tells you everything you need to know.
Contrast that with a team like the Cincinnati Bengals. They spent all offseason yapping about how they were gonna move away from the “Joe Burrow offense,” promising more under-center plays and play action. They put in the work during preseason. But what happened in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Just five measly snaps of under-center play action, with Burrow going 3-of-5 for 29 yards. Every single other dropback came from the shotgun. They did run the ball 11 times from under center, but if under center always means run and shotgun always means pass, that’s just a predictable offense waiting to get shut down. The Rams didn’t fall into that trap.
Stafford Was Off, But The TEs Were On Fire
That’s the big difference right there. The Rams didn’t just *want* to use a bunch of tight ends; they committed to it and, crucially, they were good at it from the jump. On a day where Matthew Stafford struggled mightily, he was at his absolute best by far whenever that 13 personnel package was on the field. Think about it: when your QB is having an off day, you need something to lean on, right? For the Rams, it was their tight ends.
Next Gen Stats showed it clearly, and the routes run against the 49ers prove it: Colby Parkinson led the way with 16 routes, Terrance Ferguson had 12, Tyler Higbee ran 4, and Davis Allen chipped in with 2. Those guys were running, getting involved, and making a difference when their QB needed them most.
So, what does this mean going forward? If the Rams keep leaning this hard into 13 personnel, especially when their QB is having an off day, defenses are gonna have to figure out a new game plan, ASAP. This ain’t just a gimmick; it’s how they’re planning to win games, and it totally salvaged Stafford’s Week 1.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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