Amid all the success the Rams offense has had under the guidance of Sean McVay in the last three years, the tight ends have gone somewhat overlooked. At least, that was the case until Tyler Higbee put together a historic December to complete a record-setting season by a tight end in franchise history.
That only happened because the Rams shifted away from 11 personnel a bit and utilized more two-tight end sets. That’s not to say 12 personnel (one running back, two receivers, two tight ends) became the norm, but it was used much more often at the end of the season than in the beginning.
That trend is expected to continue into this season with Higbee and Gerald Everett getting more opportunities. McVay and GM Les Snead have hinted at utilizing 12 personnel more, and on Tuesday, Everett confirmed that’s the plan in L.A. He expects himself and the other tight ends to have bigger roles on offense as a result.
“Definitely, with us going to 12 personnel more often. I like to think that we’d have more extended roles, but (when) game time come, we’ll all see,” he told reporters.
Both Higbee and Everett are athletic pass-catching tight ends. We’ve seen each player make significant impacts as receivers, which is the going trend in the NFL for tight ends.
Everett doesn’t view himself and the Rams’ other tight ends as just safety blankets for Jared Goff. he says they can be much more than that, attacking the seams and blocking on the edge.
“That and a lot more,” Everett replied. “I feel like we serve as more than just safety blankets, especially on this offensive team. We block, we run, whatever we’re asked to do, we’re going to do it to our best capabilities and we definitely take pride in that aspect, but just being at wherever we need to be for the team.”
Much of Everett’s production will be predicated on his playing time, which also hinges on Higbee’s involvement in the offense. There will be opportunities for both players to be on the field at the same time, but it’ll likely be Higbee with the starters when Los Angeles does use 11 personnel.
That being said, McVay still expects Everett to be involved and be a big part of the offense.
“Gerald knows he’s a big part of what we’re doing. He’s going to be a very important piece for us,” McVay said Tuesday when asked about Everett’s tweet referring to “waiting on a decision that’s already been made.” ”Waiting on anything is going to be a great season from Gerald Everett for the Rams. That’s what you can wait on. We’re very glad he’s here. He’s in a good place. He’s done a great job throughout camp. He’s versatility is a real winning edge for our football team and you’re going to see that this coming season.”
Everett is in the final year of his rookie contract, which means he’ll become a free agent in March if the Rams don’t sign him to an extension. His ceiling is still high as a young tight end, and this could finally be his breakout year that everyone’s been waiting on.