Meet the Rams: Lance Kendricks and Cory Harkey are different types of leaders for the tight ends
As the Rams get to work at training camp at UC Irvine, we’ll take a look at the team’s roster, position by position. Today, the tight ends:
The Rams released their top pass-catching tight end Jared Cook before the draft, clearing the way for Lance Kendricks to take over.
But it could take the combined efforts of Kendricks and draft picks Tyler Higbee and Temarrick Hemingway to replace Cook’s production.
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Over the last three years, Cook caught 142 passes for 1,786 yards and eight touchdowns. He led the team in reception yards in 2013 and had the second-most yards in 2014 and 2015.
But it’s not all catches, runs and glory when you’re a tight end. There’s work to be done in the trenches, which is where former UCLA Bruin Cory Harkey comes in.
Harkey is officially listed as a tight end, but he’s also the team’s unofficial, official fullback because of his ability as a blocking specialist and he’s also a special teams player.
This season the tight ends will have a friend in the booth calling plays in offensive coordinator Rob Boras, who has been the tight ends coach since 2013.
No. 88 Lance Kendricks, 6-foot-3, 250 pounds
Kendricks, 28, is entering his sixth NFL season, all with the Rams.
As the primary tight end in 2012, his second year in the league, Kendricks had career highs in catches (42) and yards (519).
Since then he’s been secondary to Cook, but remained a big red-zone target. Nine of his career 15 touchdowns have come from within 16 yards.
Last season, Kendricks had 25 catches for 245 yards with two touchdowns.
Kendricks also has the speed and skill as a receiver to line up on the outside.
In Week 1, he caught a 37-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to tie the game with the Seattle Seahawks and force overtime. The Rams eventually won on a field goal.
No. 46 Cory Harkey, 6-foot-4, 259 pounds
Harkey, 26, has come the long way to being a vocal leader of the tight ends. He was undrafted out of UCLA and went back and forth between the practice squad and active roster his first year in the league.
Since 2013, Harkey has appeared in all but one game and caught 26 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns.
In 2014, Harkey caught a pass from punter Johnny Hekker on a fake field goal for a two-point conversion.
Harkey re-signed with the Rams in March on a deal that will keep him under contract through 2018. He also won a skills competition at a Lakers game, earning himself a new truck, in April.
No. 89 Tyler Higbee, 6-foot-4, 243 pounds
Higbee probably should have been selected higher than the fourth round, but an arrest in the weeks leading up to the draft caused his stock to drop.
Higbee was first-team Conference USA as a senior at Western Kentucky, where he caught 68 passes for 1,054 yards and 14 touchdowns in four seasons.
He’s also a former receiver, but can block and played on special teams.
No. 84 Temarrick Hemingway, 6-foot-5, 244 pounds
Hemingway was the second leading receiver at South Carolina State last season with 39 catches for 418 yards. He was named first-team All MEAC as a senior and is also a converted receiver.
Other tight ends: No. 83 Benson Brown (N.C. State), No. 48 Justice Cunningham
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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