The Rams spent a second-round pick on TE Terrance Ferguson, who some scouts have compared to Higbee, per Tyler Greenawalt of Rams Wire.
The comparison makes sense if talking about Higbee as a draft prospect back in 2016, at which point he was carrying 249 pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame and mostly valued for pass-catching potential. It doesn't fit as well when discussing the current version of Higbee, listed at 255 pounds and valued for versatility. He's proven capable of taking on significant receiving workloads when needed, including during last season's playoffs, but it's never been something that coach Sean McVay prefers to do. With Ferguson competing for TE snaps and Davante Adams a probable upgrade on Cooper Kupp at wide receiver, Higbee appears unlikely to draw more than four or five targets per game, if that, in 2025. Higbee's bet shot at fantasy value would entail Adams or Puka Nacua missing time while Ferguson fails to earn a role.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Remaining in L.A. for 2025
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Rams head coach Sean McVay said Monday that Higbee will remain with Los Angeles for the 2025 season, the final year of his contract, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.
McVay said the same of veteran offensive tackle Rob Havenstein, calling the Rams offense "different" when both veterans are healthy and on the field. Higbee missed all but three of Los Angeles' regular-season games in 2024 while working his way back from offseason knee and shoulder surgeries, most notably recovering from an ACL tear sustained during the 2023 playoffs, but the 32-year-old tight end managed to impress once he was back in action. In two postseason games against the Vikings and Eagles, he secured 12 of 15 targets for 112 yards and a score. With Matthew Stafford's return and Cooper Kupp still looking unlikely to be retained for 2025, Higbee could be facing increased opportunities on offense behind star wideout Puka Nacua.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Stands out in playoff loss
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Higbee caught seven of 10 targets for 54 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-22 NFC divisional-round loss to the Eagles.
Higbee continued his strong postseason with a four-yard touchdown catch on the first Rams possession, and he ultimately led the team in catches in the season-ending loss while finishing second in targets behind Puka Nacua (14). The veteran tight end didn't make his season debut until Week 16 after tearing his ACL during last season's playoffs, but Higbee proved that he still has some gas left in the tank at age 32 by racking up 12 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown across two playoff games. He should be back for the final year of his contract with the Rams in 2025.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Ready for divisional round
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Higbee (chest) doesn't have a designation for Sunday's divisional-round game in Philadelphia, Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com reports.
Higbee was forced out in the second quarter of Monday's wild-card win versus the Vikings due to a chest injury that required a visit to the hospital. Fortunately for the tight end, he was able to travel back to Los Angeles with his teammates, and he followed up a limited listing Wednesday with a capped session Thursday and a full practice to end the week, thereby clearing him for the second round of the playoffs. Higbee may find the sledding tough Sunday against an Eagles defense that has conceded the fewest YPT (5.71) to opposing TEs this season.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Estimated as limited Wednesday
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Higbee (chest) was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice estimate, Stu Jackson of the Rams' official site reports.
Per Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com, Higbee -- who was hospitalized Monday due to a chest injury that he sustained during the Rams' wild-card win over the Vikings -- subsequently made the trip home with the team. Head coach Sean McVay then said Tuesday that Higbee is expected to be available for Sunday's divisional-round game against the Eagles, though the tight end may need to put in a full practice Thursday or Friday to head into the weekend without a designation.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Likely to play in divisional round
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Head coach Sean McVay said that Higbee (chest) has been discharged from an Arizona hospital and is expected to play Sunday in the Rams' divisional-round matchup with the Eagles, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
With five catches for 58 yards on five targets in Monday's 27-9 win over the Vikings in the wild-card round, Higbee finished as the Rams' leading receiver, despite being forced out of the game before the end of the first half due to a chest injury. According to McVay, Higbee was "coughing up a little bit of blood" and was sent to the hospital as a result, but the tight end has seemingly avoided a serious injury. The Rams could still limit Higbee in practice to some extent this week, but the expectation is that he'll be ready to go for Sunday's game with few restrictions, if any.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Hospitalized due to chest injury
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Rams coach Sean McVay said after the Rams' wild-card win over Minnesota on Monday that Higbee is in the hospital and in stable condition due to the chest injury he suffered during the matchup, Stu Jackson of the Rams' official site reports.
While McVay's update suggests Higbee's injury is more than minor, the coach also stated of the tight end, "I think he's going to be okay." At this point, it is unclear if Higbee will be able to suit up in next Sunday's divisional-round clash against the Eagles. If he's unable to play, the Rams would likely deploy a tight-end committee of Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen. All three logged exactly 13 receiving yards (Allen and Long on one catch apiece and Parkinson on two) following Higbee's exit Monday.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Won't return to wild-card contest
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Higbee (chest) has been ruled out from returning to Monday's wild-card matchup versus Minnesota, Adam Grosbard of The Orange County Register reports.
Brown got off to a red-hot start Monday, catching all five of his targets for 58 yards in the first quarter. However, he was deemed questionable to return due to a chest issue early in the second quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game just after halftime. A combination of Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen could fill in at tight end for the Rams through the remainder of Monday's game.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Exits wild-card game due to injury
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Higbee is doubtful to return to Monday's wild-card matchup against Minnesota due to a chest injury, Stu Jackson of the Rams' official site reports.
Higbee was outstanding early in the contest, catching all five of his targets for 58 yards. However, he's likely done for the day after suffering a chest injury. The veteran tight end missed most of the campaign due to a knee issue, as he didn't suit up until Week 16. Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen are the other tight ends on Los Angeles' roster.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Strong effort sans fellow starters
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Higbee finished with five receptions on seven targets for 46 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-25 loss to Seattle.
Higbee was one of the few regular starters who head coach Sean McVay did not rest ahead of the upcoming wild-card round of the playoffs. The veteran tight end likely got the extra run after missing most of the regular season rehabbing from an ACL tear in January. Higbee looked like his usual self Sunday, posting a full stat line after meager results in his first two games back. The 32-year-old should be revved up to host the Vikings in next Monday's playoff tilt.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Records nine yards
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Higbee recorded two receptions on three targets for nine yards in Saturday's 13-9 win over the Cardinals.
This was Higbee's second game since returning from a torn ACL, so he was likely to be limited in his statistical output regardless of the state of the Rams' offense. However, the unit struggled to get going and ran only 54 total plays, limiting volume for Higbee and all skill-position players with the exception of Puka Nacua. Given both his personal limitations and the offense's recent struggles, expectations should be low for Higbee in Week 18 against Seattle and potentially into the postseason.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Lone catch goes for TD in return
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Higbee (knee) caught one of two targets for an 11-yard touchdown in Sunday's 19-9 win over the Jets.
Higbee's first catch of the season was an important one, as he scored to break a 9-9 tie with 10:11 left in the fourth quarter. He was making his season debut after tearing his right ACL in January. The veteran tight end was an above-average pass catcher at his position prior to the injury, but Higbee will likely be limited to a situational role for the remainder of the regular season. Up next for Higbee is a Week 17 home game against the Cardinals.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: No injury designation
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Higbee (knee/illness) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Jets, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
The Rams listed Higbee as a full participant on seven consecutive practice reports before an illness sidelined him Thursday. He was back to full participation Friday and now appears set to make his 2024 debut, returning from the ACL and MCL tears he suffered in a playoff loss to the Lions in January. Higbee has a long track record of handling huge snap counts but probably won't be tasked with that type of workload in his first game back from major surgery and a prolonged absence.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Returns from PUP list
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The Rams reinstated Higbee (knee) from the PUP list Tuesday.
The transaction clears the way for Higbee to make his 2024 debut Sunday against the Jets, after he had missed the Rams' first 14 games of the season while recovering from surgery to repair ACL and MCL tears in his right knee. Higbee has been a full practice participant for the past two weeks, but the Rams could still ease him back into the mix with a lighter workload. Despite the missed time, the 31-year-old still represents the Rams' top pass-catching option at tight end after Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Hunter Long combined for just 42 receptions over the first 15 weeks of the season.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Likely to return in Week 16
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Coach Sean McVay said Higbee (knee) is expected to make his season debut Sunday, Dec. 22 at the Jets, barring a setback in his recovery, Greg Beacham of the Associated Press reports.
Higbee has been listed as a full participant on Rams injury reports the past two weeks, but the team opted not to activate him for Week 14 or 15. Los Angeles must do so by this coming Wednesday, or else he'll remain on the reserve/PUP list for the rest of the campaign. Higbee is in the final stages of his recovery from the ACL and MCL tears that he suffered in his right knee Jan. 14 in a playoff loss at Detroit.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Not returning Thursday
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Higbee (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game at San Francisco, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
For a second week in a row, Higbee was listed as a full participant on all three Rams injury reports, but the team isn't quite ready to clear him for his first game action since Jan. 14, when he suffered ACL and MCL tears in his right knee in a playoff loss at Detroit. Los Angeles has one week remaining to activate Higbee from the reserve/PUP list, or else he'll miss the entire 2024 campaign. In the meantime, Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen (shoulder) will continue to serve as the Rams' tight ends.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Full participant Tuesday
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Higbee (knee) was listed as a full participant on Tuesday's practice estimate, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
Higbee has practiced in full the last two weeks but is still waiting to make his 2024 season debut after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee last January and undergoing surgery. If Higbee misses Thursday's game versus San Francisco, Colby Parkinson and Hunter Long could serve as the Rams' tight ends. The Rams also have Davis Allen on the roster, but he's been listed as a non-participant in the team's first two Week 15 practice reports due to a shoulder injury.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Listed as full Monday
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Higbee (knee) was listed as a full participant on Monday's practice estimate, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Higbee now has received such a listing on five consecutive Rams injury reports stretching back to Week 13 prep as he seeks his first game action since suffering ACL and MCL tears in his right knee back on Jan. 14. Coach Sean McVay touched on Higbee on Monday, telling Stu Jackson of the team's official site, "We'll see," regarding whether or not the tight end will make his season debut Thursday at San Francisco. "I don't have a great sense of it," McVay added. "That was always something we left open as a possibility, but certainly don't want to rush it." Higbee has more than a week remaining in his 21-day window in which to be evaluated for a potential activation from the reserve/PUP list, so a decision may not be imminent.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Another limited listing
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Higbee (knee) was listed as limited on Thursday's practice report, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
The Rams designated Higbee for return from the reserve/PUP list Wednesday, which was the first step as the team prepares to get their No. 1 TE back in the lineup for the first time since he suffered ACL and MCL tears in his right knee during a playoff loss at Detroit on Jan. 14. So far, he's been listed as limited on both Week 13 injury reports, but coach Sean McVay told Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com on Tuesday that he doesn't believe Higbee will be activated in time for Sunday's game at New Orleans. Friday's practice report may provide a ruling on that front.
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Rams' Tyler Higbee: Practice window opens
Rotowire
The Rams designated Higbee (knee) for return from the reserve/PUP list Wednesday.
This transaction follows comments from head coach Sean McVay on Tuesday that Higbee was in line to return to practice this week, per Sarah Barshop of ESPN.com. At the same time, McVay relayed that Higbee is unlikely to play Sunday at New Orleans. The Rams will likely take a cautious approach with Higbee, who suffered ACL and MCL tears in his right knee back on Jan. 14 in a playoff loss in Detroit. With his 21-day window in which to get back on the active roster opened, he's drawing closer to making his season debut.
