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The Los Angeles Rams are adding one more competitor into the tight end room ahead of 2023 training camp. But his signing came with confusion — involving if the team signed a rare international star from the other football field.
Officially announced by the franchise on Friday, July 14, the Rams are signing 6-foot-4, 253-pound Nikola Kalinic at tight end to the Sean McVay-led offense. Kalinic was last seen playing in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Kalinic, who is a native of Toronto and of Serbian descent, received praise from the Serbian Football account.
He recently caught 23 passes for 192 yards and scored twice in his CFL career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. But again, his addition to the Rams TE room came with perplexed fans.
Fans Become Confused on if Rams Signed a Soccer Player
Kalinic’s signing came with confusion on the side of members of the “Rams House.” There were fans who began thinking the team signed the striker who was recently seen on a global stage in the 2018 World Cup alongside Croatia.
Another fan thought it really was the Team Croatia and Blackburn Rovers star from the English Football League the Rams just signed.
One more fan added to the thought of the Rams adding a “footballer” to the tight end room.
The soccer player Kalinic was nicknamed “Condor” and was used as an out-and-out striker — mostly deployed as someone who attacks in front of the goal or shows strong finishes with the ball inside the box. He’s also someone who can exploit gaps against defenses and goes into an attack mode on the run.
Sounds like a tight end with the football in his hands. But not to be confused with the well-known Croatian soccer player, the Kalinic the Rams are bringing in has had his extensive career on the gridiron.
Kalinic’s Pro Football Career & What he’s Walking Into Come Training Camp
This Kalinic not only played in the CFL, but has had multiple stops in the NFL.
The 26-year-old, for starters, first got his gridiron taste in 2019 as a second round draft pick for the Ti-Cats out of York College. He went on to play for Hamilton for the next three seasons.
But in hopping over to the U.S., Kalinic has since tried to supplant himself onto an NFL roster.
He first signed with the Indianapolis Colts before the 2022 season. He was then waived on August 30 as teams began to settle on their final active 53-man rosters. He eventually made his way to the practice squad but was elevated to the active roster on December 13.
He went on to play in seven games total and started in two games, earning a total of 47 snaps on offense while additionally having 42 plays on special teams. The Colts waived him on May 4, 2023.
According to NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk, Kalinic also was given tryouts with the following teams: Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons.
But now, he’s heading to a position group facing changes and guys facing a nebulous future with the team. Longtime starter Tyler Higbee is in the final year of his current contract and is due to make $6.25 million in base salary per Spotrac. Meanwhile, Brycen Hopkins is at the end of his own deal — his rookie one he signed back in 2020.
The team did add Hunter Long via the Jalen Ramsey trade and drafted Davis Allen out of Clemson in the fifth round. But that only gives the Rams four strong tight end options for the ’23 season, hence the need to add a depth piece through Kalinic.
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