Despite fit, LA Rams rookie TE Roger Carter may start season on practice squad

The LA Rams‘ offensive strategy has often been the NFL trendsetter. When the NFL was emphasizing strong running games, the Rams flipped the switch to primarily feature 11-personnel groupings for their default offense configuration. When the NFL resuscitated the virtues of playing a fullback, the Rams did the NFL one better by playing a tight end in any number of spots on the offense.

It was quite clear from the Rams’ mid-season struggles in 2021 that the loss of versatile tight end Johnny Mundt was something that the Rams roster struggled to compensate for. The team found the blocking, but not the versatility, in backup tight end Kendall Blanton. The team found the versatility, but not the blocking, in backup tight end Brycen Hopkins.

In the end, the Rams roster repurposed wide receivers, offensive linemen, and tight ends to assume the many facets of Johnny Mundt’s usefulness on the offense.

Agent Carter

One of the options that the LA Rams have in a versatile offensive weapon is their undrafted rookie tight end, Roger Carter. With the Rams roster so packed with talent this year, the key to any young player making this roster may come from an ability to shine on special teams.

Well, we know Carter has that box checked off:

Still, the Rams feel a bit lopsided. The team has an abundance of talent at wide receiver and defensive backs, two areas that the team struggled to keep healthy and on the field last season. So the ability for the team to carry and develop many talents and roles for Carter may not be possible for the 53-man roster.

I expect the Rams to be very strategic this year, and part of that strategy will be assessing who on the current roster is most likely to find their way to the practice squad. Carter is one such player. Because he is a hybrid TE/FB type, his usefulness to other NFL teams is limited. With the Rams roster thick with WR talent, and a number of NFL teams starving for receiver reinforcements, the Rams will likely go heavy at that position.

That could result in the Rams waiving Roger Carter initially but re-signing him to the team’s practice squad. While nothing is certain, I believe that Carter holds enough promise to develop into a special type of player to make it worth the Rams’ while to keep him around.