The 2022 Los Angeles Rams season featured many changing parts. Franchise cornerstone Andrew Whitworth retired after the Super Bowl. 2021 midseason trade acquisition Von Miller went east and joined the Buffalo Bills. Robert Woods was traded to the Tennessee Titans. And Odell Beckham Jr didn’t sign while he was recovering from a torn ACL. Starting in Week 1, the Rams began losing starters to injuries. This forced new names to play more prominent roles.
To continue the Los Angeles Rams Top 15 Individual Players Countdown List of 2022, let’s first take a quick look at the current roster.
#15 – Van Jefferson, WR
#14 – Tutu Atwell, WR
#13 – Matthew Stafford, quarterback
#12 – Ernest Jones, ILB
#11 – Michael Hoecht, EDGE
The top 10 starts with a seven-year veteran of the Rams franchise…
#10 – Tyler Higbee, TE
Like it or not, Tyler Higbee is a valuable tight end. Higbee’s salary in 2022 was $7.25 million (the 18th highest-paid tight end in the NFL). He surpassed that value by finishing in the Top 10 (9th) for tight ends with 620 receiving yards.
What frustrates the Rams’ fan base is their inconsistency. Higbee has had five games this year in which he has caught two or fewer passes along with five games this year in which he has caught 15 or fewer yards. Droplets are another obvious problem. Higbee had seven knockdowns in 2022. His previous high was three. The blocking on him is still league average at best.
Despite all those concerns, Higbee has been stuck in the trenches due to injury. He only missed one game this year, in Kansas City, due to injury. Sometimes, one wonders if Sean McVay forgets that he has Higbee at his disposal. Through the first five weeks of the season, Higbee had 33 receptions (48 targets) and 290 yards. He was one of the best tight ends to start the year. However, in the next three games, he only caught three passes (nine targets) for 22 yards.
Road goal race leaders in TE for five weeks:
29% – Mark Andrews
26% – Tyler Higbee, Kyle Pitts
25% – Pat Freiermuth
24% – Travis Kelce
22% – T.J. Hockenson
21% – David Njoku, Zach Ertz
20% – Irv Smith, Robert Tonyan, Gerald Everett
19% – George Kittle, Isaiah likely—Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) October 10, 2022
His best game came against the third-ranked Denver Broncos defense on Christmas Day in Week 16. The starting tight end brought in nine receptions on 11 targets for 94 yards and two touchdowns.
Higbee also claimed the title as the Rams’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Higbee finished the season with a PFF rating of 62.7 (33rd/74 tight ends). The decision to keep, release or trade Tyler Higbee this offseason will be one of the biggest decisions for Les Snead and Sean McVay.
Poll
Who was better for the Rams in 2022?
-
68%
Tyler Higbee, TE
(13 votes)
-
31%
Michael Hoecht, edge
(6 votes)
19 votes in total
vote now
