The LA Rams have invested heavily into their tight end position for the 2024 NFL season. The Rams responded to the injury of starting tight end Tyler Higbee by adding free agent tight end Colby Parkinson. Parkinson joins teammates Hunter Long and Davis Allen, plus practice squad players Nikola Kalinic and Miller Forristall. Six tight ends on a roster that allows 69 total players. That's nearly 10 percent of the team.
Yet, when it comes down to offensive production, the Rams are not exactly getting a respectable return on investment from the tight end room. Until Week 3, the team was almost exclusively running the offense through an 11-personnel package. That is, three wide receivers, one tight end, and one running back.
As a result, the team lost two top wide receivers to injury after just two games.
The Rams have a love-hate relationship over their two tight-end offensive formation. That is, fans love it, and the coaching staff seems to hate it. While the offense would love to benefit from better blocking, particularly when offensive linemen are injured, the coaches prefer the versatility of wide receivers who can block in this offense.
But using wide receives as blockers is a misuse of talent. Occasionally, it can be quite effective as it surprises defenses. But this offense uses 11-personnel as their bread-and-butter staple. Is it any wonder that both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are out with injury? It's not due to being tackled excessively. It's the constant ask of 200 pound wide receivers to block 250+ pound defenders.
It's far better to match big bodies against big bodies.
Look what happens when the LA Rams use a 12-personnel package
I have lobbied hard, annually, for this offense to use more two tight-end formations. The reason is not simply to be difficult. The Rams invest into the position annually, so at a bare minimum, I simply want the team to use the players on the roster. With four tight ends (ultimately) on the roster, the offense has to find ways of putting those players into position to succeed.
In Week 3, the Rams finally discovered the secret sauce.
The Rams benefitted from phenomenal blocking from both Hunter Long and Colby Parkinson. And that is why the Rams need to mix in 12-personnel package plays. It's an excellent way to help out offensive tackles, it provides the diversity of powering up both the running and passing plays, and it keeps a defense honest.
While the Rams only found TE Colby Parkinson on three of five pass attempts for 21 yards, there is no doubt that the San Francisco 49ers defense opting to load up with linebackers and crowd the box with eight defenders allowed WR Tutu Atwell to explode for four receptions on five targets for 93 yards. In truth, Atwell is perfectly suited as a wide receiver aligned in 12-personnel formations, because his speed threatens the back end of any defense.
The Rams coaching staff are still dabbling with what does and does not work. But they hit on the two tight-end formation in a big way. It was the Rams' 12-personnel package that turned the tide in Week 3. As a result, 14 defenses must devise ways to stop it, whether or not the Rams use it again.
