The Los Angeles Rams let Sammy Watkins walk in free agency this offseason, but it didn’t take them long to replace him. Just before the draft, they acquired Brandin Cooks in a trade with the New England Patriots, who’s expected to fill Watkins’ role as the X receiver.

He brings more speed and has been a more productive receiver than Watkins, but there’s one area in which Cooks can’t replace Sammy: the red zone. Because of his small stature and inferior strength to that of Watkins, Cooks has never been a go-to receiver inside the 20-yard line. He does most of his damage between the 20s, not inside them.

With Watkins gone, the Rams sorely lack size at wide receiver. That could hurt them in the red zone, an area of the field in which they already struggled mightily last season. But what if it doesn’t have to be a wide receiver replacing Watkins in that department? What if a tight end can fill the role?

That’s what second-year pro Gerald Everett is hoping to make happen this season.

“I thrived in that skill in college, so of course I would like to try to translate that to the league,” Everett told the Los Angeles Times.

The tight end had his share of lapses as a rookie, struggling to become a productive receiver. He caught just 16 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns in 2017, residing as the backup tight end to Tyler Higbee.

That could change in his second season, especially given his skill set and its perfect match to Sean McVay’s desired qualities at the position. He has good hands, great athleticism and the speed to match up well with opposing safeties and linebackers.

He just has to become a more consistent and reliable tight end on all three downs.

“I was a decent route runner last year and I came through for my team in the clutch when I was called upon,” he added. “But this year, being a more consistent every-down tight end. … Just being wherever I need to be when I need to be there.”

Everett has already gotten off to a good start in training camp, making a handful of strong catches in the end zone for would-be touchdowns. His 37.5-inch vertical was third among tight ends at the 2017 combine, while his 126-inch broad jump ranked fifth.

His leaping ability certainly ranks at the top of the NFL when it comes to players at his position, giving him a large catch radius at 6-foot-3 with 33-inch arms. Being a dominant red zone target takes more than just being a good athlete, though.

For tight ends, it requires boxing out defenders, shaking safeties and linebackers loose in coverage and earning the trust of the quarterback in that crucial area of the field. If Everett can improve in those areas, Watkins’ departure will hurt less for the Rams.