Sean McVay has never been shy about leaning into tight ends, but the Rams may be running into the kind of roster problem that comes from having too many good options in one room. Los Angeles is projecting five tight ends on its 53-man roster - Max Klare, Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen - and that may simply be more than the team can justify.
The Rams could keep all five. That part is real.
Every one of them can help. But the bigger question is whether the roster actually needs that many bodies at one position when other spots are thinner and the overall depth chart is already crowded.
If someone has to go, Allen looks like the most obvious candidate. He did plenty last season, especially as a blocker, and he posted career bests with 24 catches, 208 yards and three touchdowns.
Even so, he doesn’t bring the same upside as the other returning tight ends, and he’s heading into the final year of his contract. Klare is also the kind of player the Rams can’t realistically sneak onto the practice squad; if Los Angeles leaves him off the 53, another team would likely grab him fast.
McVay’s use of 13-personnel in 2025 only adds to the puzzle. That package puts three tight ends on the field, and the Rams still managed with a four-man group that did not include Klare, even with Higbee missing seven games. It’s hard to see how five tight ends all get enough work in 2026 to make the roster math worth it, especially when that spot could go to someone who helps at a more pressing position.
And there are pressing positions. The Rams are in decent shape overall, but linebacker, cornerback and tackle still have question marks.
On top of that, carrying Stetson Bennett as QB2 would mean keeping three quarterbacks, which would squeeze the rest of the roster even more. The team also can’t really stash Ty Simpson on the practice squad for the same reason it can’t do that with Klare, only more so.
Last season, the Rams used just two quarterbacks on the active roster: Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo.
That’s where the roster squeeze starts to get real. If Los Angeles is going to protect its depth elsewhere, it may have to choose quantity over comfort at tight end.
The situation could get even messier if Aaron Donald returns to the defensive line. An unretirement would almost certainly force the Rams to cut into their defensive tackle group, likely costing one or more of Tyler Davis, Ty Hamilton or 2026 seventh-rounder Tim Keenan III.
Last season, the Rams used a five-man d-line rotation with Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske at the ends and Poona Ford in the middle. Add Donald, and that group suddenly balloons to seven.
So the Rams are staring at a real numbers game. They may not have room for five tight ends, and if they decide to trim the group, Parkinson stands out as a possible trade chip.
If Ferguson and Klare keep pushing, and Higbee stays healthy, that could give Los Angeles a cleaner path. Moving Parkinson would likely bring back more than releasing Allen, and it would also mean dealing a pending free agent the Rams probably aren’t going to keep beyond this season anyway.
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