Getty Hayden Hurst helps lead the Bengals out on January 29, 2023 in Kansas City.
As Rob Gronkowski told Heavy on Friday, January 27, the tight end spot for the Los Angeles Rams can use more consistency from Tyler Higbee.
The veteran “Big Rig Higs,” though, could also use some help in what’s been a thin TE room in the “Rams House.” But instead of an extra blocker, this kind of help is more along the lines of someone who can stretch the field at tight end. And there was one who proved just that during Conference Championship Sunday who the Rams should consider making a run for during free agency: Hayden Hurst of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hurst’s name surfaces as he nears the end of his one-year, $3.5 million deal he signed with the AFC runner-up. Higbee, meanwhile, is still under contract but could become a restructure candidate as his deal sets to expire in 2024.
Hurst Proved he Can Burn Defenses on 3rd Downs, Especially in a Rams-Like Attack
One trait Higbee has with the Rams offense is his ability to take short throws, as a screen to him is often a bread-and-butter play for him under Sean McVay and his offense…which allows him to take advantage of the space and lead blockers out in front of him.
Hurst, though, proved he can be effective when the offense faces a third and long scenario — a la this fourth quarter strike from Joe Burrow in the AFC title game that ended up blowing past the 16 yards the Bengals originally needed:
BENGALS CONVERT ON 3RD AND 16.
📺: #CINvsKC on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/fM5ertlhHi
The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder additionally proved he can make the contested grab while, again, facing third down and a passing situation:
And, with snow pouring on and inside the red zone, Hurst again struck on third down in front of “Bills Mafia:”
Burrow to Hurst! Two first quarter TDs for the @Bengals QB
📺: #CINvsBUF on CBS
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/RqOcaBu1Zc
Hurst would go on to produce seven games of grabbing five catches or more, including the five he grabbed in the snow during the 27-10 romp of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional round. While Hurst was overshadowed in an offense featuring the loaded trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, he still found his way into the top five for receptions on the Bengals. And he did it while playing in a Rams-style attack orchestrated by former McVay assistant Zac Taylor.
Analysts Rave About Hurst, Including One Who Believes he Can Re-Add Certain Personnel to Rams
Even Gronkowski himself mentioned Hurst’s name with enthusiasm as his former position emerged as a focal point for all four offenses leading up to the NFC and AFC Conference Championship games.
“It’s just great to see all these tight ends that are in the championship games. You’ve got to have a good tight end in order to win now — and that’s what you’re seeing,” Gronkowski told Heavy. “You see Travis Kelce [of the Chiefs], he’s obviously the best tight end in the game, [George] Kittle I think is the best well-rounded tight end and Dallas [Goedert] is up there as one of the best well-rounded tight ends in the game and you even have a decent tight end in Hayden Hurst with the Cincinnati Bengals as well.
Gronkowski added, “In order to win games and get deep, I believe you’ve got to have a pretty solid tight end. It just helps the offense out tremendously.”
But with Hurst set to hit free agency, he looks appealing to an offense bringing in a new coordinator and needing TE help. JB Scott of SB Nation believes adding the AFC North champion can unlock this look for McVay and new OC Mike LaFleur: 12 personnel.
“Hayden Hurst could be a savvy signing by general manager Les Snead. Having a second capable tight end could allow Sean McVay leverage 12 personnel packages (1 RB, 2 TE’s) more than the team ever has since the head coach’s arrival in 2017,” Scott wrote on Tuesday, January 31. “Multiple tight end packages were McVay’s bread and butter during his time as offensive coordinator in Washington, but his offenses in Los Angeles have since utilized 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE) the vast majority of the time.”
The thought of Hurst’s third down presence in this offense, plus paired with a coordinator who once oversaw the first set of Pro Bowls for Kittle while as passing game coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, has got to be an intriguing thought for the Rams — especially if it means making the TE spot more expandable and explosive for 2023.