Rams TE Johnny Mundt hopes toiling in the trenches pays off

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Rams TE Johnny Mundt hopes toiling in the trenches pays off
Replacing Gerald Everett as the No. 2 tight end behind Tyler Higbee, Mundt should get more time catching passes

Rams tight end Johnny Mundt catches a pass during minicamp June 10, 2021, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
By KEVIN MODESTI | kmodesti@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: September 2, 2021 at 4:47 p.m. | UPDATED: September 2, 2021 at 4:59 p.m.
THOUSAND OAKS — For the Rams the past four years, Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett played most of the downs and caught almost all of the passes thrown to tight ends, while Johnny Mundt was limited to a backup role that emphasized his skill as a blocker.

Mundt’s work was grunt work.

But that might be about to change, to the evident satisfaction of Mundt, an undrafted free-agent signing from Oregon who labored through a succession of one-year contracts and practice-squad spells to earn his shot at glamor.

“I’m feeling great about it,” he said Thursday after practice. “I’m confident in myself. I’ll try to go make some plays.”

How many plays Mundt, 26, can make as a pass receiver will help to determine the prominence of tight ends in the Rams offense in its first season with Matthew Stafford at quarterback and DeSean Jackson going long.

When the Rams lost Everett, who signed with the Seahawks as a free agent in March, first in line to replace him as No. 2 tight end was Mundt, who had re-signed for one year three days earlier.


One problem: Everett had caught 127 passes in four years, second to Higbee’s 173 among Rams tight ends. Mundt had caught nine.

Mundt had his moments. The biggest came in October. With Higbee sidelined by a bruised hand, Mundt started along with Everett and pulled in three passes from Jared Goff for 48 yards – 41 of them coming after breaking tackles, 34 on one catch-and-run – in a 24-10 victory over the Bears.

“I hoped to build some confidence in the coaches that I could do it that game setting,” Mundt said.

He didn’t catch a pass the rest of the season.

But it wasn’t lost on Rams coaches that Mundt had good hands, having caught 23 from Justin Herbert for 334 yards and four touchdowns as an Oregon senior.

Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday that he and Stafford had just been talking about Mundt and “how much of a vertical threat he can be.”

“We all saw last year against Chicago, really in a week where we needed him, his play-making ability with the ball in his hands, yards after catch, different ways we can activate him in our offense,” O’Connell said.

A healthier Higbee will remain the Rams’ No. 1 tight end, a security-blanket receiver for Stafford.

At No. 2, Mundt is “ready to take on a bigger role,” Rams coach Sean McVay said this week.

The other two tight ends, Brycen Hopkins, in his second year, and Jacob Harris, drafted in the fourth round from Central Florida with the idea of moving him from wide receiver to tight end, are “working to establish themselves,” McVay said.

Mundt has been there.

“Every year you try to progress, and I believe that year to year, even week to week, I’ve always improved,” Mundt said of his four-year wait. “It hasn’t been completely linear.

“But I’m really happy with where I am right now.”

HEKKER IS ‘THANKFUL’
Johnny Hekker was activated Tuesday after 12 days on the COVID-19 reserve list, during which he watched on TV as young punter Corey Bojorquez had a huge preseason game against the Broncos.

“Yeah, I had some conflicted feelings,” Hekker said. “When I saw his success, I was very happy for him. On the other hand, I saw a little bit of writing on the wall. The team might go with this guy and I could be having to find a new home.”

But the Rams approached Hekker about restructuring what had been the NFL’s largest contract for a punter, an agreement that helped the team keep the four-time All-Pro and trade Bojorquez to the Packers at Tuesday’s roster deadline.

“It’s something I’m definitely very thankful for. To be appreciated and wanted here means a lot,” said Hekker, who enters his 10th season with the Rams.


“I’m coming out here with a renewed sense of purpose to be a good leader, to be a good punter, and to have a ton of fun doing it.”

HEALTH DEPARTMENT
In expected moves, the Rams put tackle Tremayne Anchrum (knee) and outside linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (shoulder/neck) on injured reserve, meaning they’ll miss at least the first three regular-season games.

Rookie outside linebacker Chris Garrett went on the COVID-19 reserve list.

Also on IR are running backs Xavier Jones (Achilles tendon) and Raymond Calais (foot), who had been waived with “injured” designations.