Tyler Higbee suffered an ACL tear during the Rams’ wild-card loss, and he has remained sidelined during training camp. The veteran tight end should not be counted on to recover in time for Week 1. 
Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes the Rams expect Higbee to miss time during the fall (subscription required). That comes as little surprise given the timing of his injury; moving him to the reserve/PUP list would ensure a four-week absence at the start of the year. Higbee is projected to miss at least that much time as he continues to recover, Rodrigue writes.
Higbee has served as a full-time starter since his second season in the league. His eight-year career has been played exclusively with the Rams, and he has posted between 495 and 734 yards each year since 2019. The 31-year-old is under contract for the next two years on his current pact, so it would be logical from the team’s perspective to stick to a cautious recovery approach.
Los Angeles signed Colby Parkinson in free agency. The former Seahawk inked a two-year deal worth $22.5MM to make the intra-divisional move, and he is in line to serve as starter while Higbee is on the mend. Parkinson, 25, saw an uptick in playing time over the past two seasons after primarily being used on special teams during his first and second Seattle campaigns. He will look to offer a pass-catching option to complement Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua during the early portion of his Rams tenure.
The rest of the Rams’ tight end depth chart includes 2023 fifth-rounder Davis Allen and former trade acquisition Hunter Long. Both members of that pair are likely to see playing time at the start of the season in particular while Higbee rehabs. At some point in 2024, though, the latter will be expected to return to action as a key member of Los Angeles’ offense.