Tyler Higbee’s 2023 season ended in heartbreaking fashion, suffering a torn ACL and MCL in the Rams’ playoff loss to the Lions in January. Given the severity of the injury and the timing of it, Higbee might not be ready for the start of the 2024 season.
That would leave Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Hunter Long atop the depth chart at tight end, which isn’t a terrible group to have but it would certainly be better with Higbee available. Parkinson has had a nice offseason so far despite being limited slightly by an injury, but Allen is lurking, too.
Sean McVay said this week that Allen has really progressed well this offseason, a positive statement from the Rams head coach about his second-year tight end.
“I thought Davis Allen took a tremendous step in the right direction,” McVay said. “The game makes sense to him. I thought when Higbee ended up needing a spell towards the latter part of the year if he missed a game, Davis filled in and he did a great job. Played big time in Baltimore, he played big in Washington, made some big-time plays in the Detroit game. I always loved watching his tape at Clemson where there’s certain guys you can just see have a feel.”
Allen was a fifth-round pick by the Rams last year and he suited up for 15 games, making one start. He only caught 10 passes for 95 yards, but he was also targeted just 11 times in 192 offensive snaps played.
It’s unlikely that he’ll overtake a veteran like Parkinson, whom the Rams signed in free agency, but it seems he’s squarely in the mix to be TE2 while Higbee is out.