The Los Angeles Rams’ tight end room got a little bit more crowded on Saturday when the team drafted Brycen Hopkins in the fourth round. For a team with two tight ends who have split time as the starter, it seemed like a puzzling pick.
Gerald Everett is a former second-round pick from 2017, while Tyler Higbee just signed an extension last year that made him the 11th-highest paid player at the position. Everett has been poised to break out for a while now, but limited playing time and injuries have prevented him from becoming a true No. 1 tight end.
Maybe with Hopkins in L.A., Everett will get that chance … with another team.
The Rams hardly ever use two tight ends, let alone three. And now with three capable pass-catching tight ends on the roster, it would seem logical that they’d consider moving one. Higbee is likely safe thanks to his contract, but Everett could be on the move.
It would come as no surprise if the Rams do end up trading Everett. He’s the perfect candidate for the team to trade. Everett is only 25 years old and has flashed potential during his time with the Rams, improving each year he’s been in the NFL.
Most importantly, though, he’ll be a free agent in 2021, along with John Johnson, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill. Considering the depth Los Angeles has at tight end, it’s fair to assume Everett won’t be the guy the Rams push to re-sign.
Rather than waiting for him to leave next year and potentially recouping a compensatory pick in the 2022 draft, the Rams could trade him now, likely for a mid-round pick in 2021. That would allow Hopkins to step up as the No. 2 or 3 tight end as a rookie behind Higbee and possibly Johnny Mundt.
The problem with trading Everett is that tight ends typically take long to develop in the NFL, and Hopkins isn’t exactly a ready-made tight end. He has drop issues, isn’t a great blocker and will need to adjust to the speed of the NFL.
It’s definitely something to consider, though, and moving Everett would free up more than $1.2 million in cap space for the upcoming season. It’s not a lot, but for a team that’s struggling to find money, anything helps.
