Rams record that few know or care about may fall on Sunday.

[AvengerRam]

The Rams have had a storied history at RB, with such greats as Eric Dickerson, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Steven Jackson and Todd Gurley.

They have been even more impressive at the WR position, with players like Elroy Hirsch, Henry Ellard, Isaac Bruce, Flipper Anderson, Torry Holt and current players like Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.

At TE, on the other hand, the Rams have never had a perennial All-Pro or Hall of Fame player.

In fact, this Sunday, Tyler Higbee, who is a good, but hardly historic player, may become the Rams all time leader in receiving yards by a TE.

With four more yards, he'll pass the Number 2 guy on the list... Lance Kendricks.

Then, with 49 yards, he'll hit that magic number of 2,178 yards and supplant Billy Truax as the Rams' most prolific receiving TE!

While they probably won't stop the game and have a 15 minute ceremony, I suppose that's worth noting.

Seriously... Higs is a good TE and I'm glad to have him on the team. And, by the time he's done, he may set the bar high enough that it could take a while for someone to knock him off his perch. Probably not 51 years (Truax set his mark in 1970), but... a while.

 

[Merlin]

Happy for Higs but damn have we been shorthanded at TE over the years. It's some weird shit.

 

[RhodyRams]

almost sad when you think about it...all these years the Rams have been a franchise and the TE record for yardage is only 2177, when guys like Kelce, Sharpe, Ertz etc get 1000 a year

 

[jjab360]

Lance Kendricks lol

 

[Kupped]

Was thinking of this after his Seattle TD but didn't look it up. Assumed he was set to break a few Rams TE career records this season. One of the less impressive positions on the Rams, historically. Higs is good, though.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Happy for Higs but damn have we been shorthanded at TE over the years. It's some weird shit.

It IS weird.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Better than Pete Holihan and Damone Johnson? Who’d have thunk it

 

[Kupped]

I was gonna put this in the "suggested changes" thread.. but I'll leave it here..
I wonder if this is a position where they find a way to bring in a veteran after losing Mundt.

 

[RhodyRams]

I was gonna put this in the "suggested changes" thread.. but I'll leave it here..
I wonder if this is a position where they find a way to bring in a veteran after losing Mundt.

Do you not consider Higs a veteran or am I misunderstanding the question?

 

[Kupped]

Do you not consider Higs a veteran or am I misunderstanding the question?

I think you're misunderstanding. They guys behind Mundt are Hopkins and Blanton, neither with any real experience. The Rams run a decent amount of 2 TE sets, so I'm wondering if those two will cut it.

 

[Merlin]

I think you're misunderstanding. They guys behind Mundt are Hopkins and Blanton, neither with any real experience. The Rams run a decent amount of 2 TE sets, so I'm wondering if those two will cut it.

I think you're underestimating Harris. He's not gonna be big impact early since he's learning that NFL TE role but his time is coming. If it wasn't for Harris I would agree that TE is a potential target.

 

[Kupped]

I think you're underestimating Harris. He's not gonna be big impact early since he's learning that NFL TE role but his time is coming. If it wasn't for Harris I would agree that TE is a potential target.

I don’t name him because I just don’t see him in that role.. at least not in situations that really call for two blocking TEs.
He’s at least 30 pounds lighter than Mundt.. and Mundt was just average sized.

 

[Merlin]

I don’t name him because I just don’t see him in that role.. at least not in situations that really call for two blocking TEs.
He’s at least 30 pounds lighter than Mundt.. and Mundt was just average sized.

Guys who have the potential to impact the game will force changes to the scheme. He is simply a guy you use differently.

Example would be if you run 12 with him and Higs then you line Higs up as the inline blocker and slot Harris. You basically have 11 personnel at that point but teams who are stupid might sub for 12 and get torched. At least for a while.

Skow is similar in that way. Big target who you slot up and destroy certain matchups like ILB and smaller DBs. But with Harris not only can he highpoint a DB or ILB but he can also blow by them.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Tyler Higbee 4th rd, pick 11

2016 draft profile

Overview
Knee injury basically took six games away from him this season which could cause him to fly under the radar a little bit. Higbee has exciting athleticism and speed in the open field with the ability to separate from safeties on intermediate routes and threaten the deep middle. Higbee has soft, reliable hands and plus run-after-catch ability to finish plays. While he needs to beef up his frame and blocking ability, there is no doubting his pass catching talent.

Strengths

• Former wide receiver with a smooth, wide-open gait when he hits top gear
• Has big hands
• Had just one drop this season and showed ability to recover the catch when he juggled a throw
• Becomes a body catcher who can protect the ball in traffic
• Willing to work middle of the field and take hits
• Quick and slippery off line of scrimmage and into routes
• Very good acceleration out of his breaks and can be a tough cover for safeties
• Has the speed and toughness to work all three levels of the field
• Can own the Y-seam with his vertical speed and hands
• Immediately opens and looks for expedited throws when he's over the top of inside linebackers
• Has frame for more muscle mass
• Extremely competitive after the catch with speed, elusiveness and decent power
• Can carry body tacklers after the catch

Weaknesses

• Still has work to do filling out his frame
• Slow to adjust to blocking assignment during flow of play
• Not powerful enough yet to handle NFL edge power as inline blocker
• Doesn't run feet through block to sustain
• Upright into his breaks
• Needs route polish for underneath routes
• Can get better at creating additional leverage through crisper routes
• Suffered through a knee sprain that cost him four games before re-aggravating it in Conference USA Championship Game
• Missed his bowl game and expected to miss Senior Bowl because of it

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/tyler-higbee/32004849-4703-3222-e4e8-bd596550bfdb

 

[Kupped]

Guys who have the potential to impact the game will force changes to the scheme. He is simply a guy you use differently.

Example would be if you run 12 with him and Higs then you line Higs up as the inline blocker and slot Harris. You basically have 11 personnel at that point but teams who are stupid might sub for 12 and get torched. At least for a while.

Skow is similar in that way. Big target who you slot up and destroy certain matchups like ILB and smaller DBs. But with Harris not only can he highpoint a DB or ILB but he can also blow by them.

But there are plenty of times where you'll need two TEs who can really block.. or at least make a defense believe they can block.
I love the idea of building Harris and Skow in, I'm not against that in any way. I just think they need someone for the specific role Mundt had in this offense. Ideally, it should be Hopkins, and that's why he beefed up... but, we'll see. I think you've pointed out.. guy hasn't been active, something may not be clicking.

 

[dieterbrock]

Higbee is somewhat enigmatic IMO.
He's a nice player but it boggles the mind that now in his 6th season, just under 25% of his career yardage came in a 5 game stretch (522 yds)

 

[Mojo Ram]

Higbee is somewhat enigmatic IMO.
He's a nice player but it boggles the mind that now in his 6th season, just under 25% of his career yardage came in a 5 game stretch (522 yds)

I remember that stretch. Was that when either Kupp or Woods was out w/injury?

 

[Kupped]

I remember that stretch. Was that when either Kupp or Woods was out w/injury?

He's about on pace for that 2019 season stats without the outburst.
He was down last year.. but he was beat up.
He looks like he'll end up with close to 70 receptions this year.. I think that's pretty solid.

 

[dieterbrock]

I remember that stretch. Was that when either Kupp or Woods was out w/injury?

It was the last 5 games of 2019. Dont recall anyone hurt, just that Higs exploded and we thought he was a late blooming Kittle.
Then the genie squeezed back in to the bottle

 

[dieterbrock]

He's about on pace for that 2019 season stats without the outburst.
He was down last year.. but he was beat up.
He looks like he'll end up with close to 70 receptions this year.. I think that's pretty solid.

Not sure about that math. He's got only 22 catches in 6 games, 34 yards a game. He might clip 60 catches thanks to a 17th game (if he plays that many)