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Tyler Higbee has managed to work his way up to the top tight end option on the Los Angeles Rams, with 173 receptions through five seasons as one proof.
But is the sixth-year tight end now eyeballing another top spot?
On Wednesday following camp practice at UC Irvine’s Crawford Field, and on a designated veteran rest day for Higbee, Rams sideline reporter and 2000 Super Bowl champion D’Marco Farr still asked the 6-foot-6, 255-pound Higbee the hard-nosed journalism question for tight ends: Could he possibly be the best TE in the league moving forward?
“I don’t see why not,” Higbee answered to Farr. “It’s coming in and just working one day at a time. Taking the most advantage of my opps (opportunities) when I get them and doing everything. Just being the tight end who could do it every down – first down, second down, third down and a fourth if we need it. Being able to do it in all three phases: Run game, pass game and pass pro.”
Farr Thought of Higbee After Stafford Trade
From the moment Matthew Stafford was acquired via trade by the Rams, most fans and followers of the Rams began thinking about who would benefit the most from the new quarterback. The trendy options mentioned were Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and DeSean Jackson.
Farr, however, told Higbee he was the first Rams target he thought of who had the potential to benefit greatly from Stafford. Past history points to the new QB1 turning tight ends into Pro Bowl caliber targets or enjoying their most success with Stafford.
Last season, Detroit Lions TE T.J. Hockenson caught 67 passes on 101 Stafford targets, finishing with 723 yards and six touchdowns en route to a Pro Bowl nod. Eric Ebron caught 54.8% of his career receptions in the Motor City from Stafford. Brandon Pettigrew caught 301 career catches with Stafford feeding the ball to him.
Higbee himself has admitted to being in awe of Stafford’s work ethic during his first training camp with the Rams, saying “You see him out here spreading the ball around. It’s great bringing that chemistry with him having these reps out here and then taking advantage of it when it does come.”
The Game Has Slowed Down for Higbee
Before Stafford’s addition, Higbee became a 40-70 catch threat with Jared Goff. Higbee’s best season was 2019 when he hauled in 69 footballs for 734 yards and three touchdowns. Included in his stellar ’19 campaign? Four straight games that saw him surpass the 100-yard receiving mark. Among his ’19 highlights were this catch that got him in the franchise record books against the Arizona Cardinals.
Speaking of the Cardinals, watch closely on how he faked where he was running before scoring with ease inside the Cards’ 5-yard line.
But he also showed his run-after-catch side that same year, forcing Seattle Seahawks All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner to chase him 19 yards down the field on this reception that got the Rams out of their own 5-yard line.
Even though his reception total dipped by 25 catches in 2020, Higbee still was considered a valuable red zone option in one of his three touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Arguably, his best TD came when the Rams showed a run formation in 12 personnel on 2nd-and-3, but Higbee sneaks behind the Eagles for the 28-yard score.
Lastly, Higbee shows no hesitation in running the inside routes while fighting though defensive congestion in the middle, seen here on this score against the New York Jets.
Higbee has shown he can stretch the field and be a red zone option. Does it mean the game has slowed down for him? Especially outside of route running?
“Yeah, a little bit,” Higbee said. “I think it’s now, I’m getting to that point where I’m picking up on some of the stuff that I wouldn’t miss: Why are we doing these fly motions, what we’re trying to do to put guys on a defense in a position to create angles in the blocking game or in the run game, certain things like that which we’re taking it to another new level. It’s just challenging myself everyday to pick up on those things and master those.”
Part of also challenging himself: Evaluating himself every season to become better than before…and perhaps be the league’s next best TE in an NFL that’s already seen Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce and George Kittle dominate at the position.
“The offseason is about attacking and getting better: Watching a little film on myself to learn how to do things better plus also study some other guys to see if I can pick up things on their game,” Higbee said.
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