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Can Tyler Higbee replace Jared Cook in '16?
| July 23, 2016 08:07AM | Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 35,654 Status: HOF Inductee |
[theramswire.usatoday.com]
By: Blaine Grisak | July 22, 2016 11:00 am ET
In the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected Tyler Higbee, a tight end out of Western Kentucky. By cutting former No. 1 tight end, Jared Cook, who the Rams had signed in free agency three years earlier, the team had a hole at the position. Drafting Higbee hopefully fills that hole.
While Cook wasn’t the most appreciated player during his time with the Rams, for good reason, him being cut does leave a gap in the receiving corps. The Rams aren’t known for having good receivers as they once were, and since joining the team in 2013, Cook led the team in receiving yards and was second in touchdowns.
Breaking that down year-by-year, Cook led the team in receiving yards (671) and was second in touchdowns in 2013 (four). In fact, Cook recorded the most yards by a tight end in Rams history and was the first tight end since Mike Barber in 1983 to lead the Rams in receiving.
In 2014, Cook was second on the team in receiving yards (634) and was tied for third in touchdowns (three). Finally, last season, Cook was once again second in receiving on the team (434 yards), but didn’t have a touchdown.
Cook wasn’t exactly liked during his time with the Rams. After his stint with Austin Davis under center, the fact that he led the team in dropped passes over the past two seasons, and also didn’t give much effort blocking, left Rams fans pretty fed up with Cook.
However, the stats speak for themselves. Cook may not have been the tight end that many expected him to be, but he was at, or near the top on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns in each season. He generated much-needed offense that frankly, the Rams just don’t have much of these days.
Where Higbee comes in
From a stats perspective, the Rams are going to have to find a way to get at least those numbers if they want to replace Cook. That will be on Higbee, who as a rookie, has high expectations to step in and fill the hole that Cook left. It may not be fair, but it is what it is.
What makes this even more risky, is Higbee’s injury history. He missed six games last season with a hurt knee. The tight end has also has had run-ins with the law, specifically just before the NFL draft.
Either way, it’s crucial for Higbee to come in and develop a quick chemistry with rookie quarterback Jared Goff. The only other realistic option to start for the Rams at tight end this season is Lance Kendricks, and he’s not nearly the receiving threat that Higbee can be. Kendrick’s is a legitimate No. 2 tight end.
A tight end can be a quarterback’s best friend, and at 6-foot-6, Higbee can definitely be just that. He had just one drop last season and showed a strong ability to recover and make the catch after juggling a pass.
What Greg Olsen is for Cam Newton, Delanie Walker is for Marcus Mariota and Jordan Reed is for Kirk Cousins, Higbee can be for Goff. That is, an exceptional security blanket, as well as a bit more than that.
He has the size and ability to excel in that role, but it may be unrealistic to expect that from him in year one. As much as it would be nice, the jump from Western Kentucky, to the NFL is a big one.
Not to mention, rookie tight ends tend to struggle in their first year in the NFL, as Chris Towers of CBS Sports explained. Only 26 rookie tight ends have ever had more than 500 receiving yards. To add to that, only two rookie tight ends in the last 15 years have recorded more than five receiving touchdowns in their first season.
History shows that it’s the second year that elite tight ends start to make their mark. While Higbee is the replacement for Cook, it’s fair to say he won’t match the numbers of the former Rams tight end, at least in year one.
As it can be seen above, Higbee has the size and ability to become a solid tight end in this league, and has even been compared to Greg Olsen by Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller. However, it’s more likely that side of Higbee will come out in year two.
RELATED:
Is Tyler Higbee the most exciting Rams tight end ever?
By: Blaine Grisak | July 22, 2016 11:00 am ET
In the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected Tyler Higbee, a tight end out of Western Kentucky. By cutting former No. 1 tight end, Jared Cook, who the Rams had signed in free agency three years earlier, the team had a hole at the position. Drafting Higbee hopefully fills that hole.
While Cook wasn’t the most appreciated player during his time with the Rams, for good reason, him being cut does leave a gap in the receiving corps. The Rams aren’t known for having good receivers as they once were, and since joining the team in 2013, Cook led the team in receiving yards and was second in touchdowns.
Breaking that down year-by-year, Cook led the team in receiving yards (671) and was second in touchdowns in 2013 (four). In fact, Cook recorded the most yards by a tight end in Rams history and was the first tight end since Mike Barber in 1983 to lead the Rams in receiving.
In 2014, Cook was second on the team in receiving yards (634) and was tied for third in touchdowns (three). Finally, last season, Cook was once again second in receiving on the team (434 yards), but didn’t have a touchdown.
Cook wasn’t exactly liked during his time with the Rams. After his stint with Austin Davis under center, the fact that he led the team in dropped passes over the past two seasons, and also didn’t give much effort blocking, left Rams fans pretty fed up with Cook.
However, the stats speak for themselves. Cook may not have been the tight end that many expected him to be, but he was at, or near the top on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns in each season. He generated much-needed offense that frankly, the Rams just don’t have much of these days.
Where Higbee comes in
From a stats perspective, the Rams are going to have to find a way to get at least those numbers if they want to replace Cook. That will be on Higbee, who as a rookie, has high expectations to step in and fill the hole that Cook left. It may not be fair, but it is what it is.
What makes this even more risky, is Higbee’s injury history. He missed six games last season with a hurt knee. The tight end has also has had run-ins with the law, specifically just before the NFL draft.
Either way, it’s crucial for Higbee to come in and develop a quick chemistry with rookie quarterback Jared Goff. The only other realistic option to start for the Rams at tight end this season is Lance Kendricks, and he’s not nearly the receiving threat that Higbee can be. Kendrick’s is a legitimate No. 2 tight end.
A tight end can be a quarterback’s best friend, and at 6-foot-6, Higbee can definitely be just that. He had just one drop last season and showed a strong ability to recover and make the catch after juggling a pass.
What Greg Olsen is for Cam Newton, Delanie Walker is for Marcus Mariota and Jordan Reed is for Kirk Cousins, Higbee can be for Goff. That is, an exceptional security blanket, as well as a bit more than that.
He has the size and ability to excel in that role, but it may be unrealistic to expect that from him in year one. As much as it would be nice, the jump from Western Kentucky, to the NFL is a big one.
Not to mention, rookie tight ends tend to struggle in their first year in the NFL, as Chris Towers of CBS Sports explained. Only 26 rookie tight ends have ever had more than 500 receiving yards. To add to that, only two rookie tight ends in the last 15 years have recorded more than five receiving touchdowns in their first season.
History shows that it’s the second year that elite tight ends start to make their mark. While Higbee is the replacement for Cook, it’s fair to say he won’t match the numbers of the former Rams tight end, at least in year one.
As it can be seen above, Higbee has the size and ability to become a solid tight end in this league, and has even been compared to Greg Olsen by Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller. However, it’s more likely that side of Higbee will come out in year two.
RELATED:
Is Tyler Higbee the most exciting Rams tight end ever?
| Subject | Author | Views | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rams43 | 1323 | July 23, 2016 08:07AM |
| Rams43 | 638 | July 23, 2016 08:23AM |
| roman18 | 638 | July 23, 2016 08:50AM |
| Rams_81 | 590 | July 25, 2016 01:15PM |
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