The Los Angeles Rams shook up the wide receiver room this offseason, replacing the oft-injured Cooper Kupp with former New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams.
After using the No. 46 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft on tight end Terrance Ferguson, the Rams are in a position to do something similar at the tight end position. Sterling Xie of Pro Football & Sports Network says long-time Rams tight end Tyler Higbee is “extraneous on a team that has a lot of depth and will be facing some tough roster cutdown choices.”
Tyler Higbee Named Most Expendable Player on Los Angeles Rams Roster
With Davis Allen, Colby Parkinson, and the recently drafted Ferguson considerably younger than Higbee, the aging 32-year-old has become expendable in the Rams’ tight end room. Higbee has been a productive player for years, but much like Kupp, he has fought through various injuries in recent seasons.
In nine NFL seasons, Higbee has recorded 361 receptions, 3,668 receiving yards, and 24 touchdowns. However, given the Rams’ limited use of multiple tight end sets, he may find himself on the chopping block.
As noted by Xie, “Apart from the 2020 season, the Los Angeles Rams have never played multi-tight end sets more than 25% of the time in Sean McVay’s eight seasons. The Rams were a little more diverse than usual in 2024, but still ranked second in 11 personnel usage (84%) and 30th in multi-TE usage (15.8%).”
Tyler Higbee Played Five Games in 2024 After Tearing ACL in 2023
After being sidelined for most of the 2024 regular season, Higbee returned for the Rams’ final five games. According to Xie, he played like he still belonged on an NFL roster.
“Higbee ended 2024 well with three touchdowns and 178 yards in five games (including the playoffs), showing he still has some juice left after a torn ACL from 2023 limited him to three regular-season games. That should aid his trade value if the Rams decide they want to load up with another pick for 2026,” Xie stated.
If no trade materializes, the Rams would face a difficult decision. They can either keep Higbee on the roster to provide another receiving option for quarterback Matthew Stafford or release him to facilitate the growth of their younger tight ends.
Along with freeing up snaps for their younger tight ends, releasing Higbee would also save the team some money. If designated as a post-June 1st release, releasing Higbee would create $4,676,471 in cap savings with $4,101,286 in dead money. While that would only create around $575k in extra funds, a change of scenery might be beneficial for all parties involved.
