LA Rams roster depth at tight end already being put to the test

Rams roster TE depth

The tight end position was perhaps the sole offensive position that was the greatest concern to the offense throughout the 2021 NFL season. While Higbee was his consistent self, the loss of backup tight end Johnny Mundt to an untimely early-season injury seemed to cause a reshuffle to the offensive playbook.

No tight end seemed fully capable of replicating Mundt’s ability to block, and yet become the occasional outlet in the passing game. With those struggles in mind, let’s check the LA Rams roster depth as we enter the 2022 NFL off-season.

Starter – TE Tyler Higbee (rehabbing)
Backup TE – Kendall Blanton (blocking), Brycen Hopkins (pass-catching)
Rams Roster variables:
TE/WR Jacob Harris (rehabbing)
TE Kyle Markway (Reserve Future)
TE Jamal Pettigrew (UDFA signing)
TE Roger Carter (UDFA Signing)

Newly installed tight end coach Thomas Brown will have his work cut out for him. As long as Higbee remains healthy, the team will be set in terms of pass-catching options at the position. But who will step up if Higbee falls to another injury? For that matter, who will be assigned to the role of lining up next to Higbee in 12-personnel sub-packages?

The Rams have either six or seven players at the tight end position right now, and the team carried four tight ends on the roster initially for the 53-man roster. They were: Tyler Higbee, Kendall Blanton, Brycen Hopkins, and Jacob Harris.

That could change this year. The Rams are eager to find a more suitable blocking tight end for the 2022 season. While that could be Kendall Blanton, don’t be shocked if Markway, Pettigrew, or Carter find success in that role.

While Blanton has been the second most active returning tight end from 2021, I don’t think that showing up in Super Bowl LVI is enough to save Brycen Hopkins from intense scrutiny this year. This will be his third season with the team, and his previous two years have found his role dropping on the depth chart. I fear this year is now or never.