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Tyler Higbee

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, 49ers, Higbee

November 20th, 2024 at 1:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Signed to similar contracts during the summer of 2022, Deebo Samuel and D.K. Metcalf have each become two of the NFL’s better wide receivers — each being chosen in the 2019 second round. The Seahawks nabbed Metcalf at No. 64 via trade-up, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes the team had aimed to first draft Samuel at No. 35. GM John Schneider had worked out a trade-up from No. 37 to No. 35, via the Raiders, but Schefter adds the Silver and Black backed out of the deal. The Raiders instead dealt with the Jaguars, who drafted Jawaan Taylor at 35. The 49ers chose Samuel at 36.

The Seahawks still do not know why the Raiders reneged on the trade, Schefter adds. The Seahawks initially held a higher second-round choice than the Jags, who picked at 38. After Samuel went off the board, Seattle dealt 37 to Carolina (Greg Little) and drafted safety Marquise Blair at No. 47. The Seahawks had planned to pair Samuel and Metcalf, rather than the Ole Miss product — who famously fell to No. 64 after having teams divided during the pre-draft process — being a Samuel fallback option. Though, Metcalf as a WR contingency plan — with Doug Baldwin retirement rumors circulating during the draft — rather than pairing him with Samuel makes a bit more sense due to Tyler Lockett being just 27 at the time. Samuel and Metcalf are going into the final year of their contracts; each team rebuffed trade offers this year.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Samuel’s San Francisco status may have changed once Brandon Aiyuk suffered an ACL tear. The older 49ers WR had been a rumored 2025 trade chip, as the team prepares for a Brock Purdy payday. Although some around the league have wondered if the 49ers will pay Purdy the going rate (mentioning a Kirk Cousins trade as a backup plan), The Athletic’s Matt Barrows expects Purdy to indeed receive a top-market deal from San Francisco. Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to a deal in the $55-$60MM-per-year range would represent one of the most dramatic rises in NFL history; the 2025 offseason is the window for that to happen.
  • Staying on the 49ers-in-2025 theme, the team has seen promising early returns from second-round rookie Renardo Green. The 49ers have viewed Green as a player who can work inside and on the perimeter; that matches Deommodore Lenoir‘s profile. Lenoir is now signed long term, but All-Pro Charvarius Ward is in a contract year. With Lenoir locked in, Ward appears headed back to free agency. As such, Barrows adds Green should be considered the favorite to start opposite Lenoir on the boundary in 2025. Pro Football Focus rates Green as the sixth-best CB regular this season, albeit on only 298 snaps.
  • While Sean McVay said right tackle Rob Havenstein could be back this week, the eighth-year Rams HC indicated (via ESPN.com’s Sarah Barshop) Tyler Higbee remains weeks away from returning. Higbee is still rehabbing the ACL and MCL tears sustained during the Rams’ wild-card loss to the Lions. The ninth-year tight end remains on Los Angeles’ reserve/PUP list. Havenstein has missed the Rams’ past two games with an ankle issue.
  • Jake Moody missed time due to injury this season, being one of three 49ers kickers to go down, and did not impress upon return. Moody missed three field goals against the Buccaneers, prompting a heated Samuel to take issue with the recovered kicker (and long snapper Taybor Pepper). John Lynch said later the 49ers have not considered replacing Moody. “We didn’t blink,” Lynch told KNBR (h/t The Athletic’s David Lombardi). “We have a lot of faith in this kid. We all have rough days. There’s a lot of context to put in these things and Jake has earned a lot of respect from this organization.” Moody’s third-round contract runs through 2026.

Rams TE Tyler Higbee To Begin Season On Reserve/PUP List

August 27th, 2024 at 10:29am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, Tyler Higbee will be sidelined for at least the first four games of the season. The Rams tight end is being shifted to the reserve/PUP list, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Higbee is rehabbing an ACL tear suffered in Los Angeles’ wild-card loss. Missed time at the beginning of the campaign was always a distinct possibility as a result, and the team does not expect him to be fully healthy within the first four weeks of the season anyway. As Higbee continues to recover, the Rams will look elsewhere at the tight end spot.

The 31-year-old has been a consistent element of Los Angeles’ offense during his eight-year career. Higbee has started every game he is played in since 2017, and he has made 61 or more catches three times in a season. While 2023 was a down year in terms of production, his absence will still be felt on offense during the fall.

Los Angeles added Colby Parkinson in free agency on a two-year, $22.5MM deal. The former Seahawk will take on starting duties while Higbee is on the mend, and the Rams’ TE tandem when the latter is healthy will be an intriguing part of their offense. Los Angeles also has Hunter Long – acquired via trade last year – along with 2023 fifth-round selection Davis Allen in place on the depth chart. Those two will see elevated roles at least until Higbee is activated.

The former fourth-rounder is on the books for two more seasons, and he is due $17MM during that span. $2MM of Higbee’s 2025 roster bonus is already guaranteed, so having him back at full strength well before the start of next season will be key from the Rams’ perspective. He should be on the field at some point this year, but for now Los Angeles’ efforts to return to the postseason will take place without him in the picture.

Rams TE Tyler Higbee Likely To Miss Regular Season Time

August 12th, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/24

July 23rd, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Julién Davenport

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

  • Reverted to IR: WR Jared Wayne
  • Released from IR: WR Jaxon Janke

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Higbee, 49ers

April 9th, 2024 at 3:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks are conducting a thorough search for interior offensive line help. This has included three visits with veterans thus far. Following the news of Greg Van Roten and Lucas Patrick‘s visits, Ike Boettger has spoken with the team. Boettger, 29, made a trip to Seattle on Monday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. The former Bills starter spent last season with the Colts. The Seahawks let Damien Lewis walk in free agency and have not re-signed 2023 starter Phil Haynes. As the team transitions to Ryan Grubb as its play-caller, it appears clear a veteran free agent will be part of the equation at guard.

Considering how Boettger’s career has gone since a December 2021 Achilles tear, he would qualify as a depth-level addition. Boettger, who started 17 Bills games at guard from 2020-21, was not activated off Buffalo’s PUP list until mid-December of 2022. He only played in one game that season and was active for just two Colts contests last year.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Tyler Higbee is expected to begin training camp on the Rams‘ active/PUP list, Sean McVay said recently. Considering the timing of Higbee’s ACL tear (Los Angeles’ wild-card loss), it would not surprise to see the veteran tight end transferred to the reserve/PUP list to start the season. Higbee, 31, is going into his ninth season with the Rams. The longtime starter is on his third contract (two years, $17MM); that deal runs through 2025. If Higbee is shifted to the reserve/PUP list, he would miss the Rams’ first four games. The team added ex-Seahawk Colby Parkinson in free agency; Parkinson spent the past three seasons playing in ex-McVay staffer Shane Waldron‘s offense, making for a smooth transition.
  • The 49ers have received better injury news regarding their top tight end. George Kittle underwent core muscle surgery recently, but John Lynch said (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco) the All-Pro is not in danger of missing training camp time. Ditto Charvarius Ward, who also underwent core surgery early this offseason. Ward is going into a contract year, while Kittle still has two years remaining on the $15MM-per-year extension he signed in 2020. Both were All-Pros last season.
  • The Rams dived into the guard market’s deep waters this year, re-signing Kevin Dotson and adding Jonah Jackson. They also added Parkinson and brought back Darious Williams. These deals, as The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue points out, largely overlap with the rookie contracts of Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and Kobie Turner. Players are also more interested in shorter-term deals now, as the cap spikes at record-setting levels. “I think you’ve seen that trend in the league, players want shorter deals,” Rams VP of football ops Tony Pastoors said. “It allows them to get back to free agency. As the cap continues to grow, they’re not stuck in a deal they are unhappy with because the numbers are antiquated. … I think the other part of it is probably just the evolution of Sean and Les (Snead), and wanting to be able to make moves and make adjustments and not have huge ramifications.”
  • Not long after the Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson with an eye on the NFL’s radical kickoff change, the Seahawks have the same plan in mind for recent pickup Laviska Shenault. GM John Schneider said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) the team signed the former second-round pick to be a return-game weapon. The 220-pound wideout, who will also serve as a Seattle backup receiver, only returned nine kickoffs while on his rookie contract. Each came with the Panthers over the past two seasons. But he showed some big-play ability in Carolina and Jacksonville. As the kickoff receives a revival (on a trial basis), the Seahawks had a target in mind to take advantage.

Rams TE Tyler Higbee Suffers Torn ACL

January 16th, 2024 at 3:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 16: Higbee did indeed tear his ACL, an MRI confirmed (h/t NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). He now faces a steep challenge with respect to recovering in full in time for the beginning of the 2024 campaign, one in which he will look to return to form and the team will aim to repeat this year’s offensive success in particular.

JANUARY 15: The Rams’ campaign came to an end on Sunday night, and Tyler Higbee is likely to face an offseason of recovery. The veteran tight end is believed to have suffered a torn ACL during the team’s wild-card loss, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Higbee suffered the injury after being hit by Lions safety Kerby Joseph in the fourth quarter. He had not made a catch up to that point in the game (with the play in which he went down coming on his lone target of the contest), but his absence nevertheless dealt a blow to the Rams’ offense. Schefter notes an MRI will take place today to confirm the initial diagnosis.

The 2023 campaign was Higbee’s eighth in the NFL, all of which have come with the Rams. The former fourth-rounder has been a full-time starter since his rookie season, and he has served as a consistent option in the passing game over the course of his tenure. Higbee has played at least 15 games every year, and his durability has of course been a key factor in his success. Assuming he has indeed torn his ACL, he will face a challenging recovery period to be available for the start of next season.

Higbee recorded his fourth consecutive season with at least 521 receiving yards in 2022, seeing a career-high 108 targets along the way. His production and continued importance to the team’s passing attack earned him an extension in September. The 31-year-old is under contract through 2025 as a result, with scheduled cap hits of $11.6MM and $9.6MM. A return to form would be a welcomed development as the Rams look to build off of this year’s offensive success.

Higbee had a smaller share in the team’s overall production this year, posting a 47-495-2 statline. The emergence of fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua into one of the the league’s leading receivers played a large role in that, of course, but having he, fellow WR Cooper Kupp and Higbee healthy will go a long way in ensuring offensive production moving forward. The latter’s health situation could be a key storyline for the team in the offseason, however.

Rams, TE Tyler Higbee Agree To Extension

September 29th, 2023 at 1:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

A key member of the Rams’ passing attack has a new deal in hand. Tight end Tyler Higbee has agreed to a three-year extension worth a base value of $27MM which includes $17MM guaranteed, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The Rams have since confirmed the deal, though they have announced it as a two-year pact which will keep him signed through 2025.

Higbee has spent his entire eight-year career with the Rams, and this newest contract will be his third with the franchise. The 30-year-old’s previous pact – a four-year, $29MM accord signed in 2019 – was set to expire at the end of the season. Instead of hitting the open market in March, he will again remain in place on a multi-year agreement.

Serving as a full-time starter throughout his career, Higbee has been a constant for the team’s passing game over the past four seasons in particular. The former fourth-rounder has recorded at least 520 receiving yards each year over that span, including a career-high 734 in 2019. Higbee has added 16 touchdowns across that span as well, giving Los Angeles a consistent and productive option to compliment wideout Cooper Kupp.

Aside from the latter, the Rams have moved on from a number of skill-position players from their Super Bowl core. That includes trading Robert Woods to the Titans last March and the deal which sent his presumed replacement, Allen Robinson, to the Steelers this past April. In their absences, along with that of Kupp to start the year, Higbee has posted 132 yards on 11 catches through three games in 2023.

After missing out on the team’s Super Bowl victory due to a sprained MCL, Higbee has yet to be sidelined for a game. That durability will allow him to continue his presence as a consistent chain-mover and add to his 113 games played total, which ranks 13th in franchise history. He will likely crack the top 10 in that regard by the end of this latest pact, which Rapoport notes can max out a value of $30.5MM.

A 2022 restructure left Higbee with a cap hit of $9.13MM in 2023. It will be interesting to see how his latest deal works out on the Rams’ cap sheet, something which has undergone plenty of changes recently as the team transitions to a young nucleus at a number of positions. They will retain a steady veteran at the TE spot for a few more years, however.

Rams Notes: OBJ, Injuries, Offensive Line

October 12th, 2022 at 9:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Odell Beckham Jr. took to Twitter earlier today to express disappointment in the Rams’ latest offer, noting that the front office offered him “the lowest of low offers.” Despite OBJ’s public complaint about negotiations, Rams head coach Sean McVay actually expressed optimism about re-signing the veteran receiver.

“I love Odell. We have constant dialogue,” McVay said today (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue). “I think he also knows that certainly I don’t think that’s the last (offer) that will come from us. I’m not familiar with exactly what it is, he knows how we feel about him. We’ve got a little bit of time. Love Odell, nothing but good things coming from me.”

While OBJ has been considering overtures from various teams, the receiver did admit that the Rams “know where [he] wanted to be.” If the organization is willing to extend a bit financially, it sounds like they should have the inside track on signing the wideout.

Beckham Jr. joined the Rams midway through last season and had 305 receiving yards and five touchdowns in eight games. He added another 21 catches in four playoff games, with his postseason ending prematurely thanks to a torn ACL suffered during the Super Bowl. The Rams have continually been connected to the receiver throughout the offseason, even after extending Cooper Kupp and spending on Allen Robinson.

More notes out of Los Angeles:

  • Rams wideout Cooper Kupp (foot), defensive tackle Aaron Donald (foot), and tight end Tyler Higbee (ankle) were all held out of practice today. McVay said the three players are dealing with injuries sustained during their Week 5 loss to the Cowboys, but he doesn’t expect the ailments to impact the players’ availability for Sunday’s game against the Panthers (per NFL.com).
  • The Rams have yet to find their footing on offense, with the running game struggling in particular. McVay was asked about the team’s struggles so far, and instead of pointing the finger at Cam Akers or Darrell Henderson, he instead attributes the issues to a lack of continuity on the offensive line. “It depends on the types of concepts and things that we’re trying to activate, but we’ve been at our best when there’s an identity but enough versatility to be able to alleviate the stress off of some of your core concepts, and it takes all 11 (players),” McVay said (h/t to John Dillon of The Rams Wire). “It has been a challenge because we’ve never had the same guys up front. We’ve had backs that haven’t really practiced, we’re trying to get a bunch of different things going, all of which is an excuse that just is what I think is for weak-minded people. I’m not going to make them, but we just got to continue to keep swinging and keep plugging along and figure it out because nobody cares and we’ve got to fix it.” The Rams lost another lineman yesterday when they placed guard David Edwards on injured reserve.
  • Speaking of running backs, the Rams moved on from RB Jake Funk earlier this week, and the RB has since found a new home on the Saints practice squad. Funk saw time in 10 games with Los Angeles in 2021, mostly appearing on special teams.

Contract Details: Watt, Rams, Texans

September 8th, 2022 at 9:49pm CST by Ben Levine

With teams preparing their cap sheets for the start of the NFL season, we’ve seen a number of front offices rework some contracts. We’ve compiled some of the recent contract maneuverings (as well as some details on recent signings and extension) below:

  • T.J. Watt, LB (Steelers): restructured contract yesterday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The move opened $6.75MM in space for Pittsburgh. Watt inked a four-year deal worth up to $112MM (including $80MM guaranteed) last September.
  • Rob Havenstein, OT (Rams): three-year extension. The deal is worth $34.5MM, according to Rapoport (on Twitter). The extension includes $24.1MM guaranteed and offers $6MM in incentives.
  • Tyler Higbee, TE (Rams): restructured contract earlier this week, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The team converted $4.75MM of Higbee’s base salary into a signing bonus, creating $3.8MM in space.
  • Jalen Thompson, S (Cardinals): three-year extension. The $40MM deal includes $24.5MM in guaranteed money and a $10MM signing bonus, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter).
  • Lane Johnson, OT and Jake Elliott, K (Eagles): restructured contracts today, according to Yates (on Twitter). The Eagles converted $5.88MM of Johnson’s base salary and $2.715MM of Elliot’s base salary into signing bonuses, creating about $6.9MM in cap space.
  • O.J. Howard, TE (Texans): one-year deal. The contract is worth $1.035MM, according to Wilson (on Twitter). The tight end will receive $910K in offset from the $1.945MM guaranteed base salary he got from his previous deal with the Bills. When coupled with the $1.25MM signing bonus he got from Buffalo, Howard will earn a total of $3.25MM this year.
  • Eric Murray, S (Texans): restructured contract yesterday, per Yates (on Twitter). Specifically, the team converted $1.465MM of his contract into a signing bonus, opening $732.5K in cap space.
  • Ka’imi Fairbairn, K and Cameron Johnston, P (Texans): restructured contracts earlier this week, per Wilson (on Twitter). The two moves saved the Texans $2.1MM in cap savings.

Latest On Rams TE Tyler Higbee

July 16th, 2022 at 9:52am CST by Ben Levine

Tight end Tyler Higbee has transformed into a core member of the Rams offense, and it sounds like he’ll be ready to go for the start of training camp. According to Jourdan Rodrigue, Higbee is expected to be fully cleared from his knee injury by the start of the regular season (if not sooner).

Higbee suffered a knee injury during the NFC Championship Game, landing him on injured reserve and forcing him to miss the Rams Super Bowl victory. The injury later required surgery, and while the rehab meant Higbee couldn’t immediately dive into his offseason routine, he was already back to practicing by May.

“The knee’s coming along very well,” Higbee said at the time (h/t to Cameron DeSilva of USA Today). “I’ve been staying on top of rehab and getting after it, started getting on the field a couple of weeks ago; they’re slowly working me back in, knowing we’ve got some time before the season.”

Higbee, a former fourth-round pick, has had at least 40 receptions and 500 receiving yards in each of the past three seasons. With Matthew Stafford taking over in Los Angeles, Higbee continued producing on offense, finishing the 2021 campaign with 61 receptions for 560 yards and five touchdowns. In three playoff games, he added another nine receptions for 115 yards.

Former running backs coach Thomas Brown is now taking over as the Rams TE coach. If Higbee is slowed a bit to start training camp, Brown will have some depth to turn to for reps. While the team lost number-two tight end Johnny Mundt this offseason, they’re still rostering the likes of Kendall Blanton, Brycen Hopkins, Kyle Markway, Roger Carter, Jamal Pettigrew, and Jared Pinkney.

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