NFL Rumors: Looks like Dolphins fleeced Rams for Jalen Ramsey

Hunter Long is a 6-foot-5 253-pound tight end who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins out of Boston College in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft with the 82nd overall pick. As such, he has two years remaining on his rookie contract, and is projected to earn $1.3 million in 2023 and $1.5 million in 2024. If you were concerned about the LA Rams depth at tight end, you can breath easily now.

If you fixate on the draft profile of Hunter Long, you can make the argument that the Rams have landed the equivalent of two Round 3 equivalents in this trade. Praise for his route-running and pass-catching ability, Long was projected as a late Day 2 selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, which is exactly where the Dolphins announced his name.

Hunter Long arrived to the Miami Dolphins in the 2023 rookie draft class.

All potential, little production

The problem that confronts me when I try to connect the dots is that, while showing promising potential in the 2021 NFL Draft, Hunter Long's two-year NFL career has been next to nothing. He was invisible in the Dolphins' offense, and regretfully, I see no reason to expect a sudden spike in production by moving him to the other side of the country.

Sure, the Rams need offensive weapons at the tight end position. But I cannot see much upside in this trade. While the Rams now boast Tyler Higbee, Brycen Hopkins, and newly added Hunter Long at the tight end position. It's obvious that of that group, Tyler Higbee is the starter. But even seldom used Brycen Hopkins, a fourth-round selection by the Rams in the 2020 NFL Draft with the 136th overall pick, is almost assured to be the second tight end on the roster.

So the Rams traded an All-Pro defensive back for a seldom used backup and a late Day 3 draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft? Goodness, that feels like a complete giveaway.