NFL analyst names this Rams starter a potential trade candidate
However, with the draft well behind them and the 2025 preseason staring straight ahead, Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker thinks the Rams could trade one of their starters from the past few years: tight end Tyler Higbee.
Although the Rams have ushered in a new receiving corps in the past few years, Higbee has long been a staple of Sean McVay's offense. At the same time, the team's recent tight end investments could signal that Higbee's time in Los Angeles is nearing its end.
Higbee was effective when on the field last year, turning in a 76.4 PFF overall grade with a 79.1 PFF receiving grade — his best since 2019. But the 32-year-old played only 128 snaps due to a knee injury and is in the final year of his current contract.
The Rams' jubilation in landing second-round tight end Terrance Ferguson is eye-opening, especially because the team has searched for a coveted weapon for multiple offseasons. On top of that, Los Angeles returns Davis Allen (63.3 PFF run-blocking grade) and Colby Parkinson (66.2 PFF pass-blocking grade) as depth behind the newcomer. Los Angeles parted with Cooper Kupp earlier this offseason, and Higbee may be next in line.
Ferguson is most certainly the heir apparent to Higbee's role, with one of Allen or Parkinson sliding in as the run-blocking backup. However, it might be unwise to trade away Higbee before the team really knows what they have in Ferguson.
This past season proved that Allen and Parkinson could not step into a pass-catching role while Higbee was out with injury. So, if Ferguson takes time to develop, the Rams would be back to the same issue that plagued them to start the 2024 season.
Who would want the 32-year-old Higbee, either? Former first-round tight end Noah Fant is a free agent, and the Rams have much more invested in Higbee as a piece of their offensive game plan than any other team. Keeping Higbee for now makes the most sense unless the Rams have a compelling offer on the table.
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