Rams' Biggest Offensive Adjustment Could Be in Jeopardy Against Broncos

When the Los Angeles Rams beat the New York Giants in Week 2 on Monday Night Football, they did so without wide receiver Puka Nacua. Without Nacua in the lineup, the Rams operated more out of 13 personnel, using three tight ends at a higher rate. In their Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams operated out of 13 personnel on 38 percent of their plays. That jumped up to 52 percent against the Giants.

Against the Giants, the Rams leaned heavily on 13 personnel as Terrance Ferguson had six receptions for 54 yards. Colby Parkinson also played an important role. However, as the Rams prepare for their Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos, the Rams are facing a few injuries at the tight end position.

Parkinson has yet to practice this week as he manages a knee injury. McVay didn’t address Parkinson’s knee injury during either of his media availabilities this week. It’s possible we will get more information on Friday. While Terrance Ferguson did practice in full on Thursday, he was projected to be limited during the Rams’ walkthrough on Wednesday with an ankle injury.

Rams Could Be Without Key Piece of Their Offensive Formula

The Rams certainly have depth at the tight end position, but missing Parkinson would be a significant loss to the offense. Nacua has missed four consecutive practices and could miss Week 3’s matchup against the Broncos. If that’s the case, the Rams will certainly be looking to lean into 13 personnel once again, and Parkinson is a big part of that.

With Ferguson practicing in full on Thursday, it seems he should be good to go for Sunday. With that said, Parkinson’s status remains unclear. Parkinson may only have three receptions for 21 yards on the season, but he’s the best run-blocking tight end that the Rams have on the roster. Without Parkinson, the Rams would likely have to turn to Davis Allen. Allen’s blocking has improved throughout his career, but it’s still a step below Parkinson.

Kyren bounces this outside, but you can see some of the physicality that Ferguson brings as a blocker in the Rams run game.

Blocks through the B-Gap and attacks the LB. Nice job from Parkinson too to seal the edge. pic.twitter.com/TOoQVHrPtV
— Blaine Grisak (@BGMediaOnSI) September 23, 2026

Broncos Present a Much Different Challenge for Rams' Offense

If the Rams are without their top wide receiver and one of their top tight ends, they will be in a less-than-ideal situation as they get ready to face one of the NFL’s best defenses. Against the Giants, Davante Adams had eight receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Heading into the game, the Giants were thin at cornerback, allowing Adams to be the star as Ferguson and others served as complementary pieces.

That won’t be the case against the Broncos, who have Patrick Surtain as their top cornerback. If Adams is the Rams’ top wide receiver, the Broncos will likely have Surtain follow him to try and limit the options in the passing game.

Additionally, Parkinson’s blocking would be significantly missed if he were unable to play. The Broncos have faced 11 rushes against 13 personnel this season. While it’s a small sample, Denver has allowed a 72.7 percent rushing success rate. In their base defense, the Broncos are allowing 0.19 EPA per rush, which ranks 30th in the NFL.

Parkinson's Availability Could Be Critical Against Broncos

The Rams are going to need Parkinson available if they hope to have the same level of success in 13 personnel, especially if Nacua is out for a second straight week. Against the Giants, the Rams showed that they can still have success without Nacua. Their 0.6 EPA per pass marked their second-best passing performance since 2022. However, that success was largely because they were able to utilize multiple tight ends and create favorable matchups.

While Parkinson isn’t a significant contributor in the passing game, his blocking ability makes him valuable to the offense and is important to those heavier personnel groupings. With Nacua’s status uncertain for a second straight week, the Rams can’t afford to lose another piece of their offense as they get ready to face a tough defense.

Other Injury Notes

Outside of Parkinson, linebacker Nate Landman remains limited with a shoulder injury. The defense could be without Kam Kinchens for a second straight week as he was listed as a DNP with a hamstring injury once again.

After missing practice last week, wide receiver Jordan Whittington was upgraded from a DNP to limited on Thursday. Additionally,Alaric Jackson was also upgraded from limited participation on Wednesday to full participation on Thursday.

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