5 LA Rams who could be demoted in 2020
By Bret Stuter
Tight End
The LA Rams found out that tight end Tyler Higbee can put on quite a pass-catching show when he becomes the primary target on the offense. And as the team needed an extra boost to the blocking, running both tight end Johnny Mundt and Tyler Higbee served both to improve the offense while forcing defenses to defend a seldom seen offensive formation from the Rams. All the while, his teammate Gerald Everett sat on the bench.
Now, Everett faces his contract year. Head coach Sean McVay has committed to getting Everett more involved in the offense. And the Rams added tight end Brycen Hopkins, who has admittedly patterned his play to that of Higbee’s. So how does this all translate into demoting the Rams top-achieving tight end in 2020?
Bringing TE picture into focus
The Rams face losing Gerald Everett at the end of this season. If the team finds a way to help Everett achieve a career-high, that will only boost his value in the NFL Free Agent market. Losing valuable players generally equate into valuable compensatory draft picks awarded the following draft. So a productive Everett eventually benefits the Rams in the following draft.
The Rams also have a rookie in Hopkins that the Rams need to put through his paces. Can Hopkins handle the pressure of the NFL? Can he catch passes when it’s time to move the chains? Can he handle the pressure of starting in an NFL game? As the Rams explore becoming unpredictable on offense, the team could most certainly rotate tight ends to bring the picture of their tight end status well into focus. In the case of Tyler Higbee, it’s not that the Rams question his ability to deliver. It’s more a case that the Rams have too many unanswered questions about his teammates.