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When the St. Louis Rams drafted Lance Kendricks in the second round in 2011, it was expected that he would be the next star at tight end. Kendricks has been a pretty solid, important member of the Rams offense, but not the star. He's progressed since his rookie season, getting better at both the blocking and catching aspects of his game.
The Rams signed former Tennessee Titan tight end Jared Cook last spring, which means fewer catches for Kendricks.
Expectations
Don't expect Kendricks to be the pillar of the Rams offense. Think of Kendricks as being the traditional tight end. He's a blocker and he will catch some short-yardage passes, more than likely around 30 plus passes with 300 yards or so. Expect Cook to catch a lot of the deeper balls in the offense.
Don't forget that the Rams should be transitioning into a run-first offense, so a player like Kendricks is needed. There's a good chance that he will play better than he did last season, but not many people will know or care.
Will Kendricks make the roster?
Yes, Kendricks will make the roster and be the Rams second tight end. He plays an important but unappreciated job for the Rams.