Winners and losers from the first week of Rams training camp

Losers

Competition defines the hierarchy of winners and losers. And so, we use the term loosely here. As some players pull ahead in competition, others remain stationary, lag behind, or simply fail to keep pace. Those players who are falling behind in the competition are named in the losers category. And they are:

TE Tyler Higbee

Due to a devastating injury in the 2024 NFL Playoffs, veteran tight end Tyler Higbee is unable to participate at training camp yet, and may not be able to compete until October 2024. Of course, when he does heal up, theis 6-foot-6 255-pound tight end will not be lacking in terms of knowing what to do. But as he approaches 32 years of age and coming off a serious ACL injury, how well will his body follow suit?

Until now, Higbee's ability to block like an offensive lineman, catch passes in traffic, and deliver whatever the coaches have asked from him has cemented his lock as the starting tight end of the team. But knowing that 2024 would mean no Higbee, the team has a heated competition going on right now between second year TE Davis Allen and newly signed veteran TE Colby Parkinson. The competition is so good that either appears to be a solid substitute for Tyler Higbee when the season opens.

How much of a role will Higbee have when healthy again? That remains to be seen.

CB Derion Kendrick

It was no surprise when the LA Rams addressed the cornerback position in the offseason, signing two veterans who presumptively would start this season, and push Derion Kendrick into a rotational role at best. But Kendrick is young, and he hoped to earn a significant role in the Rams secondary in 2024 by showing up improved in all aspects of the game. It's not unheard of, as young players continue to progress, improve, and develop throughout their early years in the NFL.

Kendrick will not get that chance this year. His season ended after a training camp collision with a receiver resulted in a torn ACL injury. Even at this early juncture, that all but ends his 2024 NFL season before it began. And for Derion Kendrick, the timing could not have been worse.

Now, rather than compete for defensive snaps, he is put on ice for this season and will come back with no guarantees that a roster spot or role will be waiting for him. The team has already signed former Detroit Lions cornerback Jerry Jacobs to take over for Kendrick in 2024. I look for Jacobs to deliver in 2024. That, in turn, will complicate Kendrick's chances in 2025.