There’s something about LA Rams tight end Kendall Blanton

Getting the LA Rams to play backup tight end, Kendall Blanton, on offense has been a campaign of futility at times. But after several weeks of campaigning for the team to do so by lobbying, campaigning, and pleading on social media, the team finally acquiesced and gave some playing time to seldom used Blanton. He caught one pass for six yards and dropped one touchdown pass.

But one thing so many need to learn to do with these guys who are finally getting some real playing time? Patience.

No, Kendall Blanton is not up to superstar status, yet. But in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13, he was on the football field 10 times for the offense, and Brycen Hopkins took the field 14 times with the offense. Hopkins was not targetted at all, and Blanton was targetted twice, both times he was in a position to make the play.

Sparsely used

So far this season, the LA Rams have given Kendal Blanton 38 offensive snaps. While that may seem like plenty of opportunities, it has been spread out over six games. In short, he’s not getting consistent enough play to get any sense of continuity, or to get into a rhythm on offense.  This is his first real season where he is being used on offense and is finding his way.  He’ll get there if we give him the time and chances to make the trek.

He is a huge 6-foot-6 262-pound receiver who never really got much work as a target, even in preseason games. He did catch four of five for 39 yards and one touchdown for the Rams. Of course, much of the reason for so little work was the intensive training directed to rookie TE/WR Jacob Harris. Harris was injured and lost for the season, and now the team must determine if Blanton can fill any of Harris’ shoes at the end of the season.

Will he get there is the question, now?

There’s just something about Kendall Blanton

Until now, I would have adamantly stated no way. But then the LA Rams revealed that they could in fact commit to running the ball, could give their opponents new looks, and could befuddle defensive schemes designed to stop them. On 68 offensive snaps, the Rams went with two tight ends on 19 plays. If you factor in Joseph Noteboom’s 12 plays as a blocking tight end, you find that the Rams had an extra blocker in the game on nearly half of the offensive snaps.

If the Rams commit to just 30 percent of their snaps to 12-personnel groupings, that will be enough to give the Rams plenty of chances to work Kendall Blanton into the offense. For the Rams to improve through the remainder of the season, the team cannot look to players who are already playing at their maximum efficiency. The team will only get better by getting more out of other players.

There’s just something about the LA Rams tight end Kendall Blanton that makes me feel like he could be part of that improved play in the postseason. The Rams had a plan in place for Jacob Harris. That role now falls upon Blanton to deliver.