Tyler Higbee is set to make his season debut for the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday against the New York Jets, marking his return after tearing his ACL in last January’s wild card playoff game. Higbee, the Rams’ top tight end for the past eight years, holds franchise records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns at the position.
However, this season, the Rams added Colby Parkinson in free agency and increased Davis Allen’s role. Despite using more 12 personnel, their two-tight end usage remains among the lowest in the league.
Parkinson, who signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract, has underperformed, running routes on only 53.3% of the team’s drop backs and garnering just 9.6% of the target share. In comparison, Higbee was more involved last season, running a route on 73.6% of the Rams’ drop backs and holding a target share of 12.9%. Despite a down year, Higbee remained more productive than Parkinson, who has only 29 receptions for 288 yards through 15 weeks.
The Rams’ offense has shifted since the acquisition of Matthew Stafford, moving away from the spread offense that previously featured Higbee. This is evident in the decrease in his route participation from 79.2% in the first half of last season to 64.5% in the second half. With Parkinson, Hunter Long, and Davis Allen all rotating in, the Rams now face a decision on whether to dress all four tight ends on game day, which could require a roster adjustment.
The Rams have been cautious with Higbee’s recovery, but with his return now imminent, coach Sean McVay must figure out how to integrate him back into the offense. At 31 years old and coming off an ACL injury, it remains to be seen how effective Higbee can be moving forward.
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