The Los Angeles Rams announced on Wednesday this week that they were placing right tackle Rob Havenstein and tight end Tyler Higbee on injured reserve. While the Rams could designate both to return and hope to get them back even for depth, they likely won’t return in a featured role. With both players going on injured reserve and as two of the longest-tenured Rams players, it feels like the end of an era.
It was always probable that this would be Higbee and Havenstein’s final year with the Rams. Both players were in the final year of their contracts and weren’t likely to be re-signed by the team. In Higbee’s case, the Rams have invested heavily in the tight end position, signing Colby Parkinson last offseason and drafting Terrance Ferguson in the second round. That doesn’t even mention that Davis Allen has improved in year three, especially as a blocker.
Unfortunately for Higbee, he simply hasn’t been the same since his devastating knee injury against the Detroit Lions in 2023. Despite the Rams using tight ends more, Higbee’s 1.17 yards per route is the lowest among the four tight ends. He has remained a threat in the red zone, but the Rams are getting much more production out of their other three tight ends.
In Havenstein’s case, an argument can be made that he shouldn’t have been reinserted into the lineup to begin with. The Rams could have had Havenstein as experienced depth, but now he’s on injured reserve and unavailable. When a team loses their starting right tackle, that can be a very big deal. For the Rams, they are losing some leadership, but Warren McClendon might be an upgrade at this point.
Havenstein has dealt with injuries this year, but it hasn’t looked good for him in a while. He allowed 16 pressures in the first four games of the season before his first injury. While he played fine against less than stellar pass rushes in the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, he was extremely rough around the edges against the Seattle Seahawks last week.
As mentioned, the Rams may get better at right tackle with McClendon. Following a rough first game, McClendon settled down and allowed just one pressure over his next two starts. He was the sixth-highest graded run blocking tackle from Weeks 5-7 and was overall fine in pass protection. While he ranked inside the bottom 15 in pass protection via PFF, he also didn’t allow a single sack and was penalized once. The Rams did give him chip help, but they’ve also had to do that with Havenstein and Alaric Jackson this season.
Like Higbee, the Rams could designate Havenstein to return right before the postseason. However, if McClendon plays well, it’s hard to justify making a change on the offensive line that late in the season if it’s not needed. This will be an opportunity for McClendon to prove himself as someone who should be given an opportunity as the future starting right tackle. At that point, it would make sense to have Havenstein as depth, but not re-inserted into the starting lineup.
While the Rams could designate both players to return, it’s fair to wonder if both have played their final snaps for the team. Higbee will almost undoubtedly go down as the greatest tight end in franchise history. Higbee has played 137 games for the Rams. Only one other Rams tight end has played more than 100. Higbee has the eighth-most receptions all-time for the Rams with 381. The only other Rams tight end with more than 200 is Lance Kendricks. Higbee has 3,858 receiving yards. No other Rams tight end has more than 2,200. Higbee has 26 career touchdowns and no other Rams tight end has more than 20. He’s the greatest tight end in franchise history and it isn’t relatively close.
For the past decade, no player has provided more stability on the right side than Havenstein. When things have been the most chaotic, the stable presence has been Havenstein. Since being drafted in 2015, he’s played over 10,000 snaps at right tackle. Unfortunately, the injuries have compounded and he has lost a step. This feels like a natural transition to McClendon, especially if he plays well. It’s very possible that Havenstein has taken his last snaps with the Rams.
Outside of the newly-signed Alex Ward who returned to the team, Havenstein is the last remaining St. Louis Rams player. Tyler Higbee was drafted in the fourth round of 2016 and has outperformed his draft status as a day three pick. Havenstein was taken in the second round in 2015 and may not have ever made a Pro Bowl, but has been everything the Rams have needed him to be.
With Higbee and Havenstein going on injured reserve, it truly feels like the end of an era and turning the page. However, the Rams may be better off for it if they expect to get where they want to go this season.
