Getty Austin Corbett (No. 63) and Tyler Higbee celebrate Darrell Henderson's touchdown versus the Giants on October 17, 2021.
There’s been countless of questions involving who returns to the Los Angeles Rams on offense for another Super Bowl run: Andrew Whitworth (who received surprising advice from L.A. sports icon Wayne Gretzky), Sony Michel or Odell Beckham?
But how about this question that hasn’t been asked: Which Ram could get his current deal restructured to help with their pending salary cap for 2022? Or could he face a future release?
NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund took a dive into a list called “Restructure or release?” on Wednesday, February 23. And the data science specialist cited one key Ram from this past season facing a looming big decision involving his contract.
‘Big Picture’ Involving Certain Ram
The Ram who made Frelund’s list: Tight end Tyler Higbee.
The 29-year-old has played his entire NFL career with the Rams — from being one of the last draft picks of the Jeff Fisher era in 2016 (No. 110 overall in the fourth round) to being on the roster for both Super Bowls under Sean McVay (though Higbee was not on the field for the Rams’ 23-20 Super Bowl 56 win).
But here’s what Frelund wrote on why “Big Rig Higs” lands on her list among NFC players:
“My models love later-round tight ends in this draft class. Not to say any of them should be expected to immediately replicate Higbee’s production, but again, we’re not just thinking of the one-for-one tradeoff here. This is about the big picture, how everything affects the broader roster and spending.
Higbee carries the eighth-highest cap hit at the tight end position, while the Rams currently have the fourth-worst cap situation, at more than $21 million in the red. According to Next Gen Stats, Higbee just posted a career-low 5.3 air yards per target in 2021, down from 7.5 in 2016-2020.”
Frelund is identifying Higbee’s fallen production as one reason why he’s the lone Ram representative for this 2022 cycle. There’s also the fact that the Rams are “in the red” when it comes to cap space — which is going to mean that general manager Les Snead, head coach McVay and company will face a critical offseason on who to keep, who to restructure and who to release to prevent themselves from being in a steep financial hole.
Higbee’s Current Value, Role & Production
The 6-foot-6, 255-pound Higbee may not be a household name among tight ends in the NFL. He’s also not considered the same on the Rams.
However, he’s brought flashes of elements when called upon. And, he matched one career-best total from this past season.
Higbee caught 5 touchdowns in 2021, matching his previous best from the 2020 season. And, as seen in the Week 18 finale versus the San Francisco 49ers, he can still be a reliable red zone threat:
TYLER HIGBEE IS BALLING OUT.
📺: #SFvsLAR on FOX
📱: NFL app
He also got six on three-time Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams in Seattle:
Higbee managed to surpass the 60-reception mark in an offense that featured Cooper Kupp as the focal point, followed by Robert Woods before his ACL tear and Beckham toward the end of the season. Higbee has posted two 60-catch seasons in his six seasons with the Rams.
But Frelund brought up these numbers:
Higbee’s 2022 cap number: $8,050,000.
Higbee’s dead cap number: $2,850,000.
Plus, per Spotrac, Higbee holds a base salary of $6.25 million for this past season and next season. He won’t become an unrestricted free agent until 2024 when he’s 31.
And in tracing back to the Rams in red, the Rams’ estimated cap space: -$21,623,914.
Higbee has brought a strong TE presence over the years for an offense that’s become more wide receiver friendly. But signs are pointing that he and the Rams will have a conversation about what can be worked out in the long term. And it could be something far different than what he sees now in his salary.