WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – The Rams' OTAs officially started on Wednesday, including on-field drills and media availability with head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson. They discussed their experiences with offseason workouts, the start of OTAs and how new faces acclimating to the team.
Here are the most significant quotes and talking point from those press conferences, which can be viewed below:
"I think a lot of things are similar with the offensive style (between Oregon and the Rams), with the motioning, but I'll just say kind of the concepts, some of them might have a lot of carryover. We did a great job at Oregon of prepping these guys to learn a lot of offenses. I played for a couple OCs (offensive coordinators) and we had a lot of concepts in there for a college offense, so being able to carry that over to here has been really big for me." - Ferguson
Ferguson, who was the Rams' first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft at 46th overall, said veteran tight end Tyler Higbee has been generous with his wisdom, teaching Ferguson "little, subtle things" that make him great. He added that the entire tight end room, including Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen, has been eager to contribute to Ferguson's onboarding into the Rams' offense.
His biggest goal as of now is to learn the scheme so that his teammates can trust him to be in the right spot at all times. Ferguson's versatile offensive knowledge from his college days in addition to the veteran insight he's received recently has fast tracked his ability to learn the playbook.
Ferguson said McVay "has really poured into me and leaned into me out there with just little, subtle things I can change or get better at" out on the practice field.
"I was texting with (Davante Adams) late last week a little bit and just saying, 'hey man, you're a great player because of your skill set, and I'm going to continue to work and watch'... and then we just talk about it too, right? After every single set, it feels like we're over there talking about, 'hey, this is kind of how I'm thinking I'm going to come out of this or feel that,' and it's just constant dialogue and honestly, those are the best relationships I've had with receivers." - Stafford
It's safe to say Stafford has been impressed, but not surprised, by his newest weapon. He's always had "a ton of respect" for Adams and "always hated going against him," Stafford said, because all he could do was watch from the sideline. But now that he's seen Adams up close for a few weeks, the Rams' QB has appreciated the depth of his football knowledge, the veteran presence he brings and the leadership he provides to younger players.
Stafford was "a fan of" Ferguson during his time at Oregon, he said, and it's been fun to get him and the rest of the rookie class out with the team over the past few weeks. He praised the front office for adding players capable of making an instant impact over the last several drafts.
The Rams are still "building" their 2025 offense, which, like every year, will include some adjustments from the season previous. One of those adaptations will likely be a more consistent dose of wide receiver Tutu Atwell, who Stafford is "expecting big things" from. He added that everyone knows Atwell has wheels (evidenced by his deep touchdown catch during practice), but he also catches the ball very well away from his body and boasts a deep understanding of the Rams' scheme.
Stafford was also asked about the potential of flag football in the 2028 Olympics... He elicited laughs from the media by responding with "you talking about coaching?" and said that nobody will want him to play when he's 40 years old.
"You can see (Jordan Whittington's) accumulation of experience has led to a confidence, ability to be able to fill in when needed. (I) thought he had a really good day today, you can see he's just got a real comfort level in terms of what's being asked, what's the intent of some of these plays, what are the route nuances and where do I fit within these concepts, and so I've just been really proud of the progress, the maturity." - McVay
McVay has been pleased with Whittington's progress on both offense and special teams, to the point where he is "creating value" wherever they put him. Wide receiver Puka Nacua did not participate in the first OTAs practice on Wednesday due to an excused travel conflict, but Whittington provided the "wow" factor with several nice plays, including a leaping grab on the sideline to finish off a nice corner route.
With the exception of a possible Jalen Ramsey reunion, which is not imminent, the Rams are not looking to add to the secondary. McVay said that cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., who they acquired in a trade late last season, has made strides. Forbes came into the Rams' building last year with a willingness to be coached and try out different techniques. Forbes also had a nice day of practice, along with several other defensive backs, according to McVay.
He also discussed the Rams' 2025 draft, which featured their fewest selections since 2016. Still, McVay said they had "a real appreciation" for all six picks, including a vision for their respective fits in the Rams' offense or defense. Running back Jarquez Hunter (selected 117th overall in the fourth round) was a priority for them as a "guy that can hit home runs," and the coaching staff liked his demeanor during a pre-draft zoom call.
"The other five guys, and really a lot of these undrafted free agents, felt the same way," McVay said.
