What the Media Is Getting Wrong About the Rams' Biggest Weakness

Heading into the 2026 NFL season, an argument can be made that the Los Angeles Rams have the best roster in the NFL. The Rams addressed their biggest need of the offseason by trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie. They also added the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett. That doesn’t mention that the Rams brought back the core pieces of the same group that made the NFC Championship game last season.

Still, it’s not a roster without its weaknesses. ESPN recently ranked each roster in the NFL, noting each team’s strengths and weaknesses. For the Rams, ESPN’s Mike Clay wrote that the tight end position was the biggest weakness for the Rams.

ESPN Misses the Mark on Rams' Tight End Room

“None might be the best answer, but I'll pick a position that has a lot of depth but no clear No. 1 option,” said Clay. “Tyler Higbee is 33 years old and no longer an every-down player. That has allowed more work for veterans Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen. There is some upside here in the form of recent second-round picks Terrance Ferguson and Max Klare. A Year 2 breakout from Ferguson could quickly make this another strength area.”

While it might be fair to say that the Rams don’t have a clear top option at tight end, it’s far from their weakest position group. The Rams are building their entire offense around the tight end position as they transition to 13 personnel. Colby Parkinson led Rams tight ends with 408 yards receiving, which ranked 29th among tight ends.

However, the Rams’ tight end usage is also dispersed more evenly. Parkinson led the Rams with 408 yards, but Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, and Terrance Ferguson all have over 200 yards receiving. Using Trey McBride and the Arizona Cardinals as an example, McBride led the team with 1,239 yards, but Elijah Higgins was the only other tight end on the Cardinals’ roster with more than 100 yards receiving.

That may speak to the Rams’ depth at tight end more than overall strength. With that said, Ferguson led all tight ends in deep targets and yards per reception last season. Parkinson ranked second in successful targets per route and was fourth in first downs per route run. Only McBride and Dallas Goedert scored more touchdowns than Parkinson. Higbee may be aging, but can still be effective when needed and Davis Allen is a solid depth tight end.

Pro Football Focus certainly has its flaws, but Parkinson graded as a top-15 tight end in 2025 while Higbee and Ferguson were both inside the top-30. It’s hard to come to the conclusion that the tight end group is the weakest on the roster, especially considering how much the Rams have invested. The Rams signed Parkinson as a free agent two years ago and both Ferguson and Max Klare are second-round picks.

Linebacker Is the Bigger Concern

Meanwhile, the Rams have Omar Speights and Nate Landman at linebacker with not much depth behind them. Landman had a strong start to his 2025 season, but his play declined down the stretch. Speights has proven to be fine, but also has his limitations.

If there is one spot to attack the Rams’ defense, it’s at linebacker. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula uses his safeties to overlap and cover for the deficiencies at the linebacker position. On the other hand, the Rams are building their entire offense around the tight ends. That should speak volumes when it comes to where the weakness of the roster lies.

Rams' Biggest Weakness Is More About Depth

Clay is correct in that the Rams likely don’t have an obvious weakness. Most of their weaknesses come at depth spots at wide receiver and cornerback. The Rams are Super Bowl favorites for a reason. This is a roster that made the NFC Championship game last season and improved. However, even if you have to pick one weakness, the tight end position isn’t it.

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