ReekofRams
Hall of Fame
Remember dropping passes in traffic was the same reputation he had in college, so for him that doesn't seen to be the case.
TE Temarrick Hemingway Looking to Make An Impact
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I'm pretty sure the only reason Higbee fell in the draft was the legal problems he was having.
Do you have any references showing his propensity to drop balls?
I don't recall that at all.
First off I am not going to hate on Higs for some drops or anything, but I have to think McVay is disappointed in the position's production at large. And when that happens players tend to get replaced.
Higs in particular just doesn't seem to be a fit for an offense that desires a TE who can be a primary pass catcher, because in spite of his size and measurables he lacks an ability to focus the ball in and it shows when a defender is on/near him. Everette might be able to function as a primary pass catcher, and I think that's why so many have hope in him, that's the case with myself at least. But Everette didn't exactly wow in limited looks either.
So IMO they're going to do what they can to feature Everette this season. But one thing I am sure of is that McVay is not going to act like Fish and anoint players when the production isn't there. His expectations are high, and he's going to develop everyone on that depth chart and continue to add pieces until they find the right guy.
My top darkhorse candidate for this season on the Rams roster, in terms of unknowns who might win a roster spot, is Codey McElroy. We need one of these big targets to develop into a safety outlet who can be counted on to option himself open on critical short yardage situations, or stretch the seam at times. He's got some really nice raw size and ability, and wrt option routes some guys just have the instincts so if he can show that ability IMO he is going to make this team. Because this TE group, in spite of its talent, is underwhelming at large to my eye.
Higs in particular just doesn't seem to be a fit for an offense that desires a TE who can be a primary pass catcher, because in spite of his size and measurables he lacks an ability to focus the ball in and it shows when a defender is on/near him. Everette might be able to function as a primary pass catcher, and I think that's why so many have hope in him, that's the case with myself at least. But Everette didn't exactly wow in limited looks either.
So IMO they're going to do what they can to feature Everette this season. But one thing I am sure of is that McVay is not going to act like Fish and anoint players when the production isn't there. His expectations are high, and he's going to develop everyone on that depth chart and continue to add pieces until they find the right guy.
My top darkhorse candidate for this season on the Rams roster, in terms of unknowns who might win a roster spot, is Codey McElroy. We need one of these big targets to develop into a safety outlet who can be counted on to option himself open on critical short yardage situations, or stretch the seam at times. He's got some really nice raw size and ability, and wrt option routes some guys just have the instincts so if he can show that ability IMO he is going to make this team. Because this TE group, in spite of its talent, is underwhelming at large to my eye.
ReekofRams
Hall of Fame
I'm only going by what the analysts were saying about him when the Rams drafted him. But you're right, because when you asked me that I checked 3 sites and none of them said anything about Higbee having a propensity for drops in traffic. So who knows, maybe h3 can get over it. But if he hasn't solved that problem this season, then the Rams will likely move on without him. Temmerick is already a better blocker, and his receiving abilities is pretty good also. So if Higbee doesn't get it together then both Hemingway and Everett are ready to take over.
I gots disagree vehemently with your take on what McVay and the offense wants from the tight end position. We’ve heard him say countless times from day 1 that the TE need to do everything. He emphasizes regularly the importance of blocking, for running backs as well. If a guy can’t catch that’s as big of a problem as a guy that can catch but not block. All of our very young tight ends have holes in their games. This year we’ll see how this group has taken to the coaching, btw McVay says they all look good and Waldren is doing good with them.
Just observing that McVay wants his TE group to be able to garner mismatches on the field like he had in Washington. Saying that they also have to be blockers, well of course. But McVay saying that doesn't mean the passing game contributions aren't key, which is my assumption given the potency of the position and it's importance in his first two years as OC.
Anyway. Even if you look at our TEs with an eye towards doing everything:
Higbee can do everything BUT be a pass catcher you can count on. So he's a blocker in this scheme who will stretch the seam from time to time and you pray he'll catch the ball. That's not going to be good enough for McVay, so Higs needs to improve or he'll find himself replaced down the road.
Everette hasn't shown an ability to do everything either. His blocking ability is inconsistent. He also hasn't been what they thought they were getting as a receiver. Dude has rare RAC ability, but for that to matter the other stuff needs to get better particularly being where he's supposed to be and his hands. Reason there's more hope for him on this board, IMO is because he is still green and hopefully will make big strides.
Hemingway has shown nothing. I'd love to see him turn that around but this is a guy who was raw as F coming out of college with no positional coach, and who couldn't get off the trainer's table last season so effectively took a redshirt on top of all that.
Only thing these guys really have going for them is that the team had bigger fish to fry this offseason in the roster building. IMO they are a disappointing group irt McVay's standards of production in Washington and there's room for the unheralded types to unseat Hemingway if one of them comes in hard and works because this staff is world class in TE coaching credentials.
Everett caught 16 of 32 targets 50%
Higbee caught 25 of 45 targets 55.6%
Rams fans say Higbee can’t catch but Everett can, Everett also fumbled. They’re a young group and tight ends usually take a year or two to develop. Add in Carrier and the tight end group combined had fewer targets than Gurley and Kupp. There’s no reason for all this panic, let the guys develop!
Higbee caught 25 of 45 targets 55.6%
Rams fans say Higbee can’t catch but Everett can, Everett also fumbled. They’re a young group and tight ends usually take a year or two to develop. Add in Carrier and the tight end group combined had fewer targets than Gurley and Kupp. There’s no reason for all this panic, let the guys develop!
I think Higbee is the overall better blocker personally but it's hard to tell because he's received so many more snaps than Hemingway.
Hemingway is a total unknown as far as I'm concerned.
He didn't receive much playing time as a rookie and then was injured all of last year.
But Higbee, (he appeared to me to be an exceptional and willing blocker) is not going anywhere until possibly when his contract comes up due.
Neither is Everett or Hemingway.
Hemingway is a total unknown as far as I'm concerned.
He didn't receive much playing time as a rookie and then was injured all of last year.
But Higbee, (he appeared to me to be an exceptional and willing blocker) is not going anywhere until possibly when his contract comes up due.
Neither is Everett or Hemingway.
Your not hating on Higbee for drops but, saying McVay is.........disappointed. Seems like the same message. I'm sure McVay wanted a little better production from the entire TE group but, they were not a priority targets in the offense. I believe we will see more big plays from the group as they develop this year.
For McVay this Rams offense has the difference of a dominate running back that can run and catch the ball that he didn't have Washington. I never thought Higbee was going to be a 60-70 catch primary target TE. There aren't enough targets to get him there. It could be the blocking was more important the first year in McVay's offense.
This was the first year in the offense for both Higbee and Everett had to learn a lot in McVay's offense as he requires them to know all the plays from inline to outside. It's no wonder Everett struggled last year and he admitted being overwhelmed. Both have shown ability to make plays but, as have to be more consistent catching the ball.
McVay was sending a message to the young TE group by inquiring about name TEs Graham and Eifert this off season. Your right if they don't improve the could be replaced. Let's see what they do in year two of McVay's offense.
Too funny. 
I have never seen so many made up assumptions passed off as some kind of a internet fact based on thin air in one thread in my entire life.
It's messing with my head.
I have never seen so many made up assumptions passed off as some kind of a internet fact based on thin air in one thread in my entire life.
It's messing with my head.
You are the one that said it couldn't be developed and that it was due to fear. Now you're either saying it's not fear or still saying that it can't be developed, I'm not really sure.
Regardless, if you drilled it correctly it could be developed. It doesn't matter if it's fear (your original opinion) or distraction (the suggestion of @Soul Surfer ). It can be drilled, it can be developed, it can be overcome.
I don't know if he will overcome it, but it's possible.
I liked the video but had to mute it. I don't get why so many of these videos have such annoying sound tracks. Anyway, the catches in the video were why I was pretty high on Higbeast and continue to be. But hey. He has to perform.
Flv already answered your question but that part of the OP really stuck out to me. Hopefully he will be fully healed by the time the season starts but seeing that he is still feeling the effects and can't do everything he normally could because of it, gives me pause.
Seriously? Where do you get this theory? Ever heard of a guy named Jerry Rice? He was widely panned for having the drops when he came into the league. But he trained extensively in with the jugs machine and just with every motion that you would use for catching a ball and DEVELOPED into kind of an ok receiver.
I remember an interview where Flipper Anderson talked about the feeling when he would drop passes early in his career. He said it tore at him and he was determined to get better at holding onto the ball. He seemed to me to be a pretty decent pass catcher.
Lots of players have the drops early in their career. Hell - TO had the drops his entire career and still is in the HOF. Higbee has to show on the filed that he can do it. But there is nothing that honestly says he can't get past it just as have many other players.
He never had that reputation in college that I am aware of. He did have a legal issue stemming from of the field issues that many thought could land him in jail. There was also a question of if he could control his temper.
And again, you have this assumption that he is hearing footsteps or that overcoming drops is generally not done. First of all, he may have been hearing footsteps. I've never heard him or anyone actually use that excuse but I'm sure it happens as NFL players are bigger, faster, stronger than pretty much anything he went up against in college. Still, it is not something that can't and hasn't been overcome by many football players, nor is it something unusual.
I like Higbee but if someone else steps up, I'm fine with that too. If we decide to move on from him or all of them, that's ok too. I don't think any of them have screamed future star just yet.
Now I'm also not in the camp that thinks our TEs should have been used like they were in McVay's previous offenses and because they weren't, they are stiffs. Sure McVay is going to want more production from that unit. But he didn't go out of his way to seriously go after TEs in FA or in the draft. Our TEs are young and were in the first year of an offense that had some serious weapons in it. It would have been surprising if they DID get a lot of touches with the likes of Gurley, Woods, Kupp, Watkins on the field.
I am guessing we will see some more production out of the TE group this year but also won't be surprised if their main roll is to block and free up more talented players while also giving Goff time to hit Cooks or Woods down the field. They may be used mostly as outlets after blocking.
I guess we'll see but I think our TE group is pretty decent though not spectacular. McVay is a very good coach and good offensive minds don't limit themselves to any particular position group.
There is no panic. Just being realistic that the production from this group is not where it needs to be.
It's not the same message at all. I've accepted that Higs is not going to morph into something that he's not. But that said I do think McVay wants mismatches from his TE position in the passing game.
Not really much more to it than that. They might improve, and I hope they do. But I think the position as a whole has a ways to go to get where McVay wants it and it might not get there with the current lineup of players unless they show enormous improvement as a group.
ReekofRams
Hall of Fame
@RamFan503 as I already stated earlier I was wrong about Higbee having a tendency to drop the football in college. I'm not sure why my memory remembered it that way, but I should know better than to trust my brain. For now on I will verify that what I'm saying on here is correct. So again, I'm sorry.
That being said, you can quote me all the examples you want like Jerry Rice, only arguably the greatest WR ever to play the gsme, but for every Jerry Rice there's at least 10 WRs who had been drafted thst had the same issues as Jerry Rice and never could improve. So if by the time they're done with college , after years of honing their craft and they still have a tendency to drop the ball, then you really can't depend on developing that craft. Can it be done? Yes. But that is the exception, as in the case of Jerry Rice, and not the norm. Now if you don't agree with at least that point, well then, you and I will have to agree to disagree.
That being said, you can quote me all the examples you want like Jerry Rice, only arguably the greatest WR ever to play the gsme, but for every Jerry Rice there's at least 10 WRs who had been drafted thst had the same issues as Jerry Rice and never could improve. So if by the time they're done with college , after years of honing their craft and they still have a tendency to drop the ball, then you really can't depend on developing that craft. Can it be done? Yes. But that is the exception, as in the case of Jerry Rice, and not the norm. Now if you don't agree with at least that point, well then, you and I will have to agree to disagree.
you forgot to add he also sprayed copious amounts of stick-em on his hands throughout every game.
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Yeah - I don't agree with any of this because many - not just a few - receivers and TEs have issues with drops early on and get through it to develop into very good players. Of course there are receivers and TEs that don't get past it or develop into good players. The majority of players never go on to be stars at their respective position. But rare is the very good player that comes into the league with no faults or with faults that can't be worked on.
As Rams fans, I think we are more critical of Higbee's drops and far more tuned into his and not to the many other drops by TEs throughout the league. He actually has a lower drop rate than several TEs most of us would consider pretty damn good players.
Your point was that having the drops is not a development issue. It absolutely is - just as much as learning NFL routes, the speed of the game, the strength of defenders, etc... The good ones develop and learn how to play in the NFL. The rest don't - including some that do everything else well enough that you put up with some of the drops - ala T.O.
I also don't get your point about honing their craft and still have a tendency to drop the ball when you acknowledged that wasn't a knock on him in college. So he gets to the NFL and has that issue - like many others before him - and he can't develop? It makes no sense.
Will he develop? I don't know. But are the drops he had this past season impossible to overcome? Absolutely not.
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