St. Louis Rams: The VERY Slow Adaptation At Tight End

Utilizing a tight end solely for blocking has quickly become a thing of the past. NFL teams are looking for bigger, faster tight end prospects who can be used as an extra receiver, and create match-up nightmares all over the field. Players like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates are the best to do it in recent memory, while others like Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham look to be the heir(s) apparent.

Let’s have a glance at the Top Tight Ends [by rec. yards] over the past five years:

So there you have it. It’s possible, more so probable, that NFL TE’s eclipse the 1000-yard mark on an annual basis. To be fair though, these are the elite of the elite, and can’t easily be drafted or taken away from their respective teams. But how easy is it to draft a TE who’s capable of putting up big numbers in the receiving game?

Easier said than done! Interestingly enough, the Rams did so in 2011. Well, I should say, they were able to select the most effective rookie tight end in that class. Kendricks, to his credit, has progressed since his entry into the NFL. At times though, he’s been unable to hold onto the ball, leaving many Rams fans wondering if there’s another answer to the NFL’s continued utilization of TE’s as deep threats.

But is it too soon to ‘give up’ on Lance as the Rams pass-catching TE of the future? We find ourselves less than two months from the upcoming 2012 Draft, and many fans/scouts/coaches look to the Three E’s [Eifert, Ertz, & Escobar] as this year’s elite group of college prospects. As we know, there are no certainties in the NFL, but is it worth the risk for the Rams to take a shot on Tyler Eifert at pick #16, assuming he could put up Gronk-type numbers? Would using the Rams' 2nd round pick on Zach Ertz fill the role of both TE and WR -- filling two positions the Rams [apparently] need assistance in? Or is there an answer in Free Agency?

Jared Cook is a player - who today - escaped being franchise tagged. He’s also gone on the record by stating that he’d have no hard feelings leaving the Tennessee Titans organization. Certainly there are coaches in the NFL who have ties to Cook, and would be interested in his services assuming the price was right. The St. Louis Rams just so happen to have a head coach who knows Cook very well. Jeff Fisher - then head coach of the Titans - selected Cook with the 89th overall selection in the 2009 draft. A possible reunion?

Opinions appear to be mixed on Cook…At least from a fan’s perspective, his blocking is nothing that will receive rave reviews. Kendricks, on the other hand, has done well in blocking, but has been known [from time to time] to have a case of the ‘dropsies.’ Is it possible that the tandem could be the recipe for success, or is the Rams offensive line in such a state of disrepair that we continue to look for added help by way of TE?

How long will it be before the Rams have a decent enough offensive line that they’re able to send their TE’s out on routes without fear protection will break down in seconds? The Rams could draft a TE this year, in hopes he can be all they predicate the pick upon, or they could take a chance on a known commodity. For those who want any of the aforementioned Three E’s this April, do you think that taking a receiving-threat TE isn’t passing on a chance to bolster the O-line? Is it possible Tyler Eifert is a better pick at #16 than a top-tier Right Tackle or Guard prospect? Or is it possible - if Jared Cook was to become a Ram prior to April 25th - the Rams could focus on bolstering the offensive front early on, and then allow Jared Cook to do what he does best?

Just so you know, he’s done it better than any TE the St. Louis Rams have ever had...