Higbee Higbee Higbee!

[Loyal]

I haven't been paying attention is Higs still bad and we need to get rid of him?

Check out his 2022 TE ranks:

• 4th in targets
• 5th in receptions
• 9th in yards
• 5th in YAC
• 4th in snap %
• 11th in YAC per catch

Right after we dump Havenstein....

 

[nighttrain]

Right after we dump Havenstein....

 

[oldnotdead]

Reality check, Higbee is in his contract year. He's 30 yo now so I doubt he will be extended. I think the Rams see him as a low comp pick in 2025. They have Allen and Long both promising young talents. Ideally if they could trade Higbee that would clear $6.7M in cap space. But I don't think they could find someone to trade with. Higbee will be using this year to showcase to other teams he still has a lot in his tank. His next contract will be his last and he knows it. Tyler is a good TE but not among the elite TEs.

Don't feel sorry for him because he made $29M on this last contract. He might simply go into retirement. His production in this offense is capable of being filled by Allen and Long if not improved upon. The minute they included Long in the Ramsey trade and also drafted Allen, that's more than handwriting on the wall it's a damn mural on the the wall. The only question that remains is whether they think keeping 3 TEs in Allen, Long and Hopkins is worth releasing Higbee. I doubt that will happen. Hopkins is replaceable next year in the draft.

If I was Snead I'd be on the phone to Detroit. Their starting TE Brock Wright who is IMO less than adequate as a starter. Higee would be a bridge player for two years. They could probably get a 6th round pick but also clear $6.7M off their cap. Goff and Higbee would be a good combo.

 

[Allen2McVay]

...

If I was Snead I'd be on the phone to Detroit. Their starting TE Brock Wright who is IMO less than adequate as a starter. Higee would be a bridge player for two years.

Detroit used the 34th overall pick on TE Sam LaPorta out of Iowa.

 

[OldSchool]

Detroit used the 34th overall pick on TE Sam LaPorta out of Iowa.

And traded Hockenson last year. They don't seem to want a vet TE right now.

 

[Neil039]

Right after we dump Havenstein....

~always going for the dump, what about the love (asking for a friend)

 

[oldnotdead]

Perhaps you haven't noticed the releases and trades of high priced vets this year. This is the new way Snead and McVay are going to build their roster and maintain it. Severely limit the number of high priced vets, i.e. Stafford, Kupp and Donald. Everywhere else they will draft who they need probably a year before they will need them. If the price of extending a player is within their budget for the position then they will extend that player. Case in point, they brought back Shelton at Wendell's request from what I've heard knowing that extending Shelton will probably be less than extending Allen.

It's why the Rams signed Avila as a RG because LGs and starting centers cost more. People tend to ignore or dismiss what the Ram FO is doing but there is a definite pattern to it if you care to really look hard at it. All I'm saying is that in doing it this way the Rams can sustain their playoff-caliber roster. Stafford, Kupp, and Donald fall into that exception category and all three are playing on their last contract and they know it. This has the unmistakable hand prints of Kroenke on it. He got his Lombardi to celebrate his new stadium. Now long term fiscal responsibility is the goal. It doesn't mean to fall into mediocrity. It means use the money wisely and purposefully.

 

[OldSchool]

It's why the Rams signed Avila as a RG because LGs and starting centers cost more.

I do love a good laugh thank you for this.

For the record they don't separate OL for franchise tag values even though LT and RT pay is usually different. Also the top 5 paid guards by AAV have 3 RG and 2 LG.

The highest paid center is being paid for past performance in Jason Kelce at $14.5 million aav which would make him the 6th highest paid guard after those 3 RG's.

 

[dang]

So Higbee has been a solid TE for the Rams over the years. And he did have 72 receptions last year. But looking at stats closer and he had lows on TDs and avg yds/reception. Also he was the only option other than Jefferson by the end of the year. With that said it looks like the plan is to find cheaper/more dynamic alternatives to him in 2023 and I don’t see him on the roster in 2024. The NFL is tough business but the Rams won a Super Bowl without Higbee and the Rams need to invest the $$$ allotted to him for a better return. 2024 baby!! 2024!!

 

[Merlin]

Truth is in the middle on Higs. He's not great, despite his status as our best TE ever in horns. Not shit either, and his hands have improved year to year, the guy contributes. He's a good, solid, average TE, and because the Rams paid him at a mediocre price he's still on the roster.

I have always liked him and he seems pretty cool and all too. But going forward this team could use a big threat from that TE spot in the pass game. Maybe this guy we drafted is the TE that McVay finally hits on. Really that's been the problem with the position and why it's been non-stop 11 sets. Because attempts to add TE talent for the pass game have missed. But that rook probably won't be felt until next year as is standard with the position. So hopefully he is up to snuff along with Long in replacing the big guy.

Can't wait to get a look at Allen at least in the preseason. Long too hopefully. Rams can't sit all of them.

 

[RamsSince1969]

He is our Rock Star! Just has that swag. Also will talk trash and tell you he "owes you one" if you give him a cheap shot. Then a few plays later, he's good on his word with a nasty pancake payback block and a reminder that that was because he owed you one as you lay on the ground looking up at him.

 

[dieterbrock]

Get rid of a highly productive player with no conceivable replacement?
Nah...

 

[dang]

Get rid of a highly productive player with no conceivable replacement?
Nah...

Certainly not in 2023 but I believe there’s a good chance in 2024.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Get rid of a highly productive player with no conceivable replacement?
Nah...

Completely agree; and expect Higbee to be with the Rams in 2023. However, getting 'rid of a highly productive player, with no conceivable replacement' is arguably exactly what the Rams did when they moved-on from Ramsey and Floyd, among others.

 

[PARAM]

Completely agree; and expect Higbee to be with the Rams in 2023. However, getting 'rid of a highly productive player, with no conceivable replacement' is arguably exactly what the Rams did when they moved-on from Ramsey and Floyd, among others.

They kept it to one side of the ball. They had to make choices......as all teams do. They didn't get rid of Higbee and Ramsey or Higbee and Floyd weakening both sides of the ball. It has a bit of logic to it.

 

[Allen2McVay]

They kept it to one side of the ball. They had to make choices......as all teams do. They didn't get rid of Higbee and Ramsey or Higbee and Floyd weakening both sides of the ball. It has a bit of logic to it.

OK but that has nothing to do with my point.

I’m not criticizing the strategy; and I clearly said I expect Higbee to be a Ram in 2023.

Just pointed out that, this off-season, Rams have moved on from productive veteran starters without having clear replacements.

 

[fanotodd]

Certainly not in 2023 but I believe there’s a good chance in 2024.

I know where you’re coming from, Dang, but as for the here and now…
I would expect the Rams are crossing their fingers about a potential replacement NEXT year because having to decide whether or not to re-sign Higbee or wing it with someone unproven is not a place to be when the SB or bust is the ‘24 mantra.

For now, the offense has to be ultra productive before it is trial by fire for newbies. The defense is gonna need all the help it can get.

Barring a camp miracle, Higbee stays.

 

[PARAM]

OK but that has nothing to do with my point.

I’m not criticizing the strategy; and I clearly said I expect Higbee to be a Ram in 2023.

Just pointed out that, this off-season, Rams have moved on from productive veteran starters without having clear replacements.

Sure it does. Your post was in response to DBs "
.....move on from a productive player with no obvious replacement? Nah..." post. I was simply concurring with your response.....yes they moved on from multiple players without obvious replacements.......but they did it intelligently....ie, weakening only 1 side of the ball.

2021 to 2022 they moved on from productive starters without clear replacements but on both sides of the ball.

DWill and SJD on defense; Woods and Corbett on offense. Plus they lost Whitworth and Von Miller from each side of the ball.

 

[snackdaddy]

Get rid of a highly productive player with no conceivable replacement?
Nah...

If they did that we would know they aren't trying to be competitive. They signed two WR vets so its possible they are going to try get this offense back to where it was. The defense is where they are rolling the dice.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Sure it does. Your post was in response to DBs "
.....move on from a productive player with no obvious replacement? Nah..." post. I was simply concurring with your response.....yes they moved on from multiple players without obvious replacements.......but they did it intelligently....ie, weakening only 1 side of the ball.

2021 to 2022 they moved on from productive starters without clear replacements but on both sides of the ball.

DWill and SJD on defense; Woods and Corbett on offense. Plus they lost Whitworth and Von Miller from each side of the ball.

Well there's a lot here.

First-off, the poster Dieter Brock and I are (unfortunately) not that close. I can't refer to him as "DB". In fact, he has asked me to refer to him only as Mr. Brock; and limit the communication.

Second ... And Most Important ... the part where you 'concur with me' ... Good Job!

Seriously though, I don't agree with the final comments about the Rams 'moving-on from productive starter without clear replacements in 2021 and 2022.' Three of your four 2022 examples (Darious Williams, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Corbett) were free agents, and the Rams had cap limitations that made it difficult to re-sign any of them. Furthermore, the Rams were probably viewing David Long, Greg Gaines and Coleman Shelton as viable replacements.

In the case of Woods, I suggest that Allen Robinson was viewed as more than just a viable replacement.

Ramsey was a dump-trade; and Floyd a release. I purposely did not mention free agents Gaines or Matt Gay (the two biggest off-season free agent losses in my opinion). The Rams moved on from Ramsey and Floyd with no clear, viable, obvious replacements.

There are of course names and bodies but Kendrick, Durant, Rochell, Hodges-Tomlinson and the rookie Edge players are all "cross-your-fingers" ... hope-these-guys-can-play ... replacement options.

No comparison to the above mentioned players ... Hill had already played a significant role in his first go-around with the Rams. Gaines had already pretty-much replaced Joseph-Day when Sea-Bass went down with an injury in 2021 and Gaines replaced him, and held-on to the starting job at the end of the season and post-season. Shelton had proved himself as the top-reserve interior-OL in the Super Bowl season. Finally, Robinson had proven himself as a quality NFL WR over a long period of time.