Gerald Everett’s breakout with the Rams may never come.
For a tight end with so much potential and such high expectations among fans and media members, he may not have much of a future in Los Angeles after yet another disappointing season and the emergence of Tyler Higbee as the No. 1 tight end on the depth chart.
Everett missed three games with a knee injury, and in his return on Saturday night, he played just four measly snaps. He was targeted once and didn’t have a single catch, proving to be a non-factor in a must-win game for the Rams.
In the three games Everett missed – and on Saturday night, too – Higbee caught at least seven passes for 100-plus yards each week. He’s proved to be the Rams’ best tight end this season, becoming the first tight end in NFL history to catch at least seven passes for 100 yards in four straight games.
Everett has only one year left on his contract, becoming a free agent in 2021 if the Rams don’t sign him to an extension. Los Angeles already gave Higbee a new deal worth $7.25 million per year, which runs through the 2023 season.
The Rams clearly see him as a No. 1 tight end, and they’ve been using him as such in recent weeks.
So where does that leave Everett? Most likely, he’ll be back on the team for one more year in 2020, but even that’s not a certainty. He’s a tight end with a ton of potential as a receiver, which isn’t easy to find in the NFL.
It’s possible that the Rams could shop him this offseason in an attempt to recoup some of the picks they traded away to acquire players such as Jalen Ramsey, Austin Corbett and Dante Fowler Jr. In those trades alone, the Rams gave up a first-rounder (Ramsey) and fifth-rounder (Fowler) in 2020, as well as first-, fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2021.
Everett only has one year left on his contract and was a second-round pick in 2017, so the Rams aren’t going to fetch anything more than a third-round pick for him. But if they can get a fourth-rounder, should they consider it?
After reportedly seeking a sixth-round pick for Higbee last year, it’s possible the Rams would take a fourth for Everett. With Higbee paid and Johnny Mundt (a free agent in 2020, but a cheap re-sign) doing an excellent job as the No. 2 tight end dominating as a blocker, Everett’s role may not be very large next season.
The Rams already prefer not to take wideouts off the field in favor of tight ends, so with Higbee being the top option, Everett could have a hard time finding snaps next year. Trading him for a mid-round pick is not out of the question, especially with the Rams missing the playoffs and needing draft picks after wheeling and dealing the last two years.
