Tyler Higbee suffered a torn ACL during the Rams’ wildcard loss and was forced to sit out training camp. The experienced tight end should not be expected to be fit in time for Week 1.

Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic notes that the Rams expect Higbee to miss some time this fall (subscription required). That’s not a huge surprise given the timing of his injury; placing him on the reserve/PUP list would mean a four-week absence to start the year. Higbee is expected to be out at least that long during his recovery, Rodrigue writes.

Higbee has been a full-time starter since his second season in the league. He has played exclusively with the Rams for his eight-year career, averaging between 495 and 734 yards each year since 2019. The 31-year-old has two years left on his current contract, so sticking with a cautious recovery approach would make sense from the team’s perspective.

Los Angeles signed Colby Parkinson in free agency. The former Seahawk signed a two-year, $22.5 million deal to make the move within the division, and he is expected to serve as the starter while Higbee is on the mend. Parkinson, 25, has had a surge in playing time over the past two seasons after being used primarily on special teams in his first and second seasons in Seattle. He will look to offer a pass-catching option to Cooper Kupp And Puka Nacua during the first half of his tenure with the Rams.

The rest of the Rams’ tight end depth chart includes the 2023 fifth-round pick Davis Allen and former trading acquisition Hunter long. Both members of this pair will likely see playing time, primarily early in the season while Higbee recovers, but at some point in 2024, the latter is expected to return to action as a key part of Los Angeles’ offense.