Forget SHIELD, LA Rams may opt for Agent Carter

The LA Rams have seldom used two tight ends in their offense. Is that changing? Well, right now starting TE Tyler Higbee is fighting through a knee injury. Higbee is questionable. With so many highly regarded players out for this game, will the Rams risk further injury to their starting tight end? I’m not so sure.

In fact, the Rams have already made the necessary roster adjustments to give this team other options at the tight end position.  We know that the Rams have underused and unknown tight end Brycen Hopkins, covered in cobwebs awaiting his chance to contribute to the LA Rams offense. Now, the Rams activated another tight end from the practice squad name Roger Carter.

And I for one hope that Carter gets a chance to see some action.

The Rams have tried to abandon the use of a blocking tight end in their offensive scheme. But inevitably, in each year since 2019, the coaching staff surrenders and deploys their 12-personnel package, and suddenly the offense returns to that ole familiar form of running the football and successfully passing downfield out of play-action formations. The only question is, can rookie tight end Roger Carter be that blocking tight end that the Rams are looking for?

Well, believe it or not, I think the Rams know what they have when they signed Carter to the roster after the 2022 NFL Draft. He was one of the few players who had reportedly met with the Rams and ended up on the roster.

Because he was a versatile player who could fill multiple roles on the offense, he was not heavily scouted by teams because he did not fit one role easily. But he did fit a need for the Rams’ offense, and that is a blocking tight end who can line up at multiple locations.

Now, what can fans expect from a rookie in this game? Perhaps now as much as I’d like, but anything is a plus right now. You can certainly expect to see him on special teams, as he made an outstanding fumble recovery for a touchdown in their second preseason game against the Houston Texans.

Will Carter contribute in Week 12? If the Rams are to have any hope of winning, they will need contributions from everyone. This season, the NFL seems to be filled with plenty of anything goes. But just once, I would like the surprises on game day to be pleasant ones, rather than the stream of disappointments that have been strung together this season so far.