The Rams Should Target This Veteran Tight End

The Los Angeles Rams have lost backup tight end Hunter Long to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. Now they only have two tight ends on their roster, Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson. Both of them are under contract until next year, which means they have to find a third for their roster.

Both Parkinson and Higbee got extensions, so it looks like the Rams are sold on them as players. However, their tight end position is their weakest link on offense. This is especially the case after they signed Davante Adams in free agency, making their passing attack lethal.

If the Rams truly want to gift Matthew Stafford the best chance at operating the best passing attack they can give him, they would target a tight end with receiving upside. Parkinson is 6'5" and weighs 265 pounds; he's more likely to be used to pass block in scenarios.

Higbee has seen a ton of success when thrown the ball, but last season, he couldn't stay on the field due to injury. He's 32, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that he can sustain an injury again. They should target a backup tight end that has passing upside, just in case.

As it so happens, there is a tight end sitting in free agency that the Rams could benefit from signing. His name is Tyler Conklin, and after spending the past three years with the New York Jets, he's in search of his next team.

In 2024, he caught 51 balls for 449 yards and four touchdowns, a career high. Though his receiving numbers were down, he made up for it by being a red-zone target the Jets could turn to. At 30 years old, it's possible Conklin becomes their tight end of the future after Higbee is projected to leave next off-season.

Conklin would reunite with Adams in Los Angeles, and they could possibly win a ring together after being a part of one of the worst situations in football last year.

The Rams are going all in for these next two years to win a Super Bowl. They have their starters pretty much set in stone, but if they want an elite roster, they must get backups they can trust in the case of an emergency.