Rams McVay says TE Davis Allen 'took a tremendous step in the right direction'

Defining 'a step in the right direction' in practical terms

I think so. Well, let's put it in more accurate terms. I hope so. There is not much more that Davis Allen can do for the team unless he gets more offensive snaps. He played 192 offensive snaps in 2023 but was targeted just 10 times. He was not only very efficient as a receiver (with a 90 percent completion rate) but he was a more than adequate blocker.

So what does a step in the right direction look like on a football field for 2024? Well, considering the young man did not catch one pass out of 12 thrown his way, making catches seems to be maxed out. Perhaps the progress is in hitting his spot on the route at the moment that the quarterback is looking to throw the football that way.

Of course, Allen has an uphill climb to earn playing time in 2024. The Rams have Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and possibly even Hunter Long ahead of him on the team's depth chart. And even in a best-case scenario, the Rams are unlikely to carry more than three tight ends on the 53-man roster in 2024.

To get more offensive snaps, Allen will need to beat out one of the team's other tight ends for a roster spot. Once that has been accomplished, he will need to continue to compete for even a marginal role in this offense. After all, he is competing with starting tight end Tyler Higbee, plus a new free agent Colby Parkinson who is being paid like a starter this season.

The thing is, unlike other tight ends on the roster in the past, Allen has maxed out the opportunities given to him, and he can only improve if he plays more and is thrown to more often. Will the Rams do so?

The team certainly seems open to an expanded role at the tight end position, particularly after videos of the Rams draft HQ confirm that the team tried to trade up for Georgia TE Brock Bowers in Round 1. Of course, a larger role for a tight end could just as easily be filled by Davis Allen.

Keep Allen on your radar. If early indications pan out, he could be a huge contributor in this offense this season. And as always, thanks for reading.