LA Rams add 2 intriguing players: RB A.J. Rose and TE Jared Pinkney

Rams free agency TE signing

While the addition of players in June does tend to place them behind the eight ball in terms of learning the playbook in time to compete with other players on the roster, re-signing 6-foot-4 257-pound Jared Pinkney restored a former player to the team’s roster.  Pinkney was signed in October 2021 and was primarily a practice squad player for the team last year.

As the LA Rams fought through a COVID-19 outbreak, the team actually signed Pinkney to the team’s 53-man roster. He would remain on the roster for days until he also tested positive for COVID-19. He re-signed with the team’s practice squad but was signed to the Detroit Lions roster to close out the season. He played two games for the Lions, starting in one contest.

Pinkney pushing for a role

The Lions waived him on May 10, 2022, and the LA Rams signed him in little more than a month later. It’s clear that the team believes Pinkney has some upside, as the front office has re-signed him.

His draft profile describes an intriguing receiving tight end who needs more work on his route-running but has solid NFL pass-catching potential. This signing is a curious one, and I recommend keeping Pinkney on the radar.

After all, the LA Rams were anything but content with the TE depth behind Tyler Higbee and Johnny Mundt in 2021. So far in the offseason, the front office has signed TE Roger Carter, TE Jamal Pettigrew, and now Jared Pinkney. The team also has Kyle Markway behind Kendall Blanton and Brycen Hopkins. I may be off course, but I don’t see that the Rams are secure with any tight end at this point behind Higbee.