Rams fans have anxiously awaited the return of tight end Tyler Higbee and he’s getting closer to being back on the field with each passing week. Sean McVay shared an update on Higbee Tuesday, telling reporters that the tight end is expected to return to practice this week.
It will be his first time practicing since tearing his ACL and MCL in January’s playoff loss to the Lions, so it’s a huge step for Higbee.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like McVay expects Higbee to be ready to play against the Saints on Sunday, but he’s clearly making progress and will be back sooner rather than later.
“I think that’d be presumptuous,” McVay said about whether Higbee will play Sunday. “He has made amazing progress. I think we want to get him out on the practice field. He provides such great leadership and such a great spark for us in a variety of ways. I don’t know that this week would be the week that he would return, but for him to even be back out on the practice field and starting his clock is a real credit to him, to our medical staff, and just to the overall resolve and resilience of that individual who I have a lot of love and respect for.”
Higbee, 31, has missed the first 11 games of the season while on the PUP list but his return will be a boost to a Rams offense that’s gotten very little out of its tight ends in the passing game.
Colby Parkinson’s 243 receiving yards are the most among Rams tight ends this season, with Hunter Long and Davis Allen combining for just 82 yards together.
In 15 games last season, Higbee caught 47 passes for 495 yards and two touchdowns after posting four straight years with at least 500 yards and three touchdowns.
