TE Kendall Blanton back home on Rams roster worth smiling over…

TE Kendall Blanton back home on LA Rams roster worth smiling over

[ramblinfan.com].

by Bret Stuter

The LA Rams needed a tight end for the next three weeks, thanks to the ill-timed suspension of TE2 Brycen Hopkins. This was going to be a problem. Their active roster only carried two tight ends, and the practice squad had two tight ends in Jared Pinkney and Roger Carter who are still too green behind the ears to step up for the LA Rams this early in the season.

When we covered the news of Hopkins’s suspension, we posed one option that, at the time, seemed a bit far-fetched, but made perfect sense:

“The Rams could negate any player on the practice squad and simply sign tight end Kendall Blanton off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad. After all, why not return the favor? That option holds some value as Blanton played for the LA Rams in 2021, and he was neck and neck with Hopkins throughout training camp.-per Bret Stuter via And then there was 1. LA Rams TE Brycen Hopkins suspended

And it seems that is exactly what the LA Rams have decided to do, and that is great news indeed!



The Rams were pretty limited in their options, as their decisions to set up their initial roster forced the team to make the rather unpopular decision to waive Kendall Blanton. He eventually found his way to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad after a short stint with the Washington Commanders.

Now, he’s back home on the LA Rams roster. So why are we excited about the guy coming back to the team that waived him just two months ago? Well, how about we share what we know about Kendall Blanton, and see if that helps to explain some things, okay?

Kendall Blanton’s return is great news for the LA Rams

To start off, let me reassure everyone that my feet are still on the ground, and I’m not envisioning a Pro Bowl season out of Kendall Blanton this year. But as we stated one year ago, the LA Rams offense is very complex, and the best contributors on the team are not always the best fantasy football players. Blanton is one such player whose heroics are not statistics.

Blanton, much like TE Johnny Mundt, is the type of player who excites coaches more than fans. He’s the guy who makes that superb block that only a handful of observers notice, who catches that one ‘gotta move the chains,’ pass to get a first down.

Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, Kendall Blanton was targetted twice, He caught both, including a touchdown pass that proved to be the margin of victory. He would catch a perfect five of five passes thrown his way for 57 yards in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers.

He is not the guy who will show up in the game with three touchdowns. Rather, he is the type of guy who will make key blocks to unleash a teammate for a multi-touchdown afternoon. He works hard on every play, remains humble and thankful, and is the type of player who will give his all to help the team win.

Perhaps that is why his return is so satisfying. Kendall Blanton is one of those foundation glue guys that every roster needs to make it all work. He’s back now. Hopefully, the Rams’ front office will keep it that way.