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4 Rams offensive upgrades that will push team into Top-3 tier in 2024

The LA Rams will be leaning heavily into the offense once more to lead the team to victory. Thankfully, here are some reasons to be confident in the offense for the 2024 NFL season

By Bret Stuter

Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams / Gregory Shamus/GettyImages
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II: Tight ends are back in season

The LA Rams have not boasted a two-tier tight end attack since the team allowed TE Gerald Everett to peddle his wares after the 2020 NFL season. Since that time, the primary tight-end role has almost exclusively fallen to starter Tyler Higbee. Of course, the team enjoyed the blocking bonus of backup tight end Johnny Mundt, and the team did find surprising production from rookie TE Davis Allen last season.

But is the tide rising for the fortunes of the tight end position once more?

While the start to the 2024 NFL season is clouded by the fact that starter Higbee is expected to start the year on the IR/PUP list, the team has not backed down in surrender whatsoever. The team has signed former Seattle Seahawks TE Colby Parkinson to a three-year deal that has far too high compensation for a backup. Parkinson stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 251 pounds. Curiously, the Rams selected TE Brycen Hopkins just three picks (136th overall) after the Seahawks had selected Parkinson (133rd overall) in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In a limited role in the Seahawks offense, Parkinson hauled in 57 of 78 passes (73.1 percent catch rate) for 618 yards and four touchdowns.

While the Rams appear to have big plans for Parkinson this season, he is not the only tight end worth monitoring. Rookie TE Davis Allen (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) hauled in 10 of 11 passes thrown his way in 2023 for 95 yards and a touchdown. While that is not eye-popping for an entire rookie season, it's quite promising for a young man who was limited to 192 offensive snaps.

In fact, the Rams tight end room is a bit crowded right now, even with the departure of TE Brycen Hopkins. The Rams currently boast:

  1. TE Tyler Higbee | 6-foot-6 | 255 pounds (IR/PUP)
  2. TE Hunter Long | 6-foot-5 | 253 pounds (IR)
  3. TE Colby Parkinson | 6-foot-7 | 251 pounds
  4. TE Davis Allen | 6-foot-6 | 245 pounds
  5. TE Nikola Kalinic | 6-foot-4 | 245 pounds (Reserve/Future)
  6. TE Miller Forristall | 6-foot-5 | 244 pounds (Reserve/Future)
  7. TE Neal Johnson | 6-foot-4 | 260 pounds (UDFA)

With the recent trade of WR Ben Skowronek, a player whose roles have included a bit of tight end in his deployment, the roster depth at tight end seems deeper than that needed for one starter usage. And consequently, the team's wide receiver depth seems a bit lighter than typical at this stage of the season. Could the Rams be gearing up for more frequent use of their 12-personnel package?

That's how the numbers add up right now.

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