Last year, the Los Angeles Rams made one of the more puzzling free-agent signings of the offseason, adding tight end Colby Parkinson on a three-year, $22.5 million contract. That came after Parkinson logged just 25 catches for 247 yards and a couple of touchdowns with the Seattle Seahawks in 2023.
Yes, the Rams signed the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Parkinson largely due to his blocking ability, but given the money they paid him, they were also surely expecting some offensive production, as well.
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Needless to say, Parkinson did not really achieve that during his debut campaign in Los Angeles, catching 30 passes for 294 yards and a score. Keep in mind that that was with Tyler Higbee missing most of the season.
Now, with the Rams needing to get down to 53 players by Tuesday, it stands to reason that Los Angeles could choose to cut its losses by releasing Parkinson, which would actually save the Rams $5.25 million in cap room.
It may sound surprising given that Parkinson was expected to represent a rather significant part of LA’s offense moving forward (for some reason), but the idea of cutting Parkinson is something that has been discussed by others.
The Rams’ decision to select Terrance Ferguson in the second round of the NFL Draft definitely applied some pressure to Parkinson, especially with 2023 draft pick Davis Allen also being on the squad along with Higbee.
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Los Angeles could always choose to roll with four tight ends, but generally, three is the maximum amount of players you want to afford at that position. That could spell bad news for Parkinson, who was definitely a disappointment (relatively speaking) in Year 1.
On the other side of the coin, Higbee played in just three games last season and began showing serious signs of decline in 2023, so perhaps keeping Parkinson around would provide the Rams with some insurance. But if it comes down to Parkinson or Los Angeles keeping another player at a different position, Parkinson may end up getting the hammer.
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