Tag: Colby Parkinson

Saquon Barkley runs the Rams out of SoFi Stadium, carrying the Eagles to their 7th straight win

A sea of Eagles fans took over SoFi Stadium, carrying Philadelphia to its 7th straight win on Sunday night as Saquon Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night

The Eagles are 9-2 and have won seven straight games after Saquon Barkley exploded in the running game, and A.J. Brown was dominant in the passing game. Philadelphia put the league on notice with a 37-20 win at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

If not for a late Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp, Philadelphia would have exited Los Angeles with a 37-14 road win just seven days before a monster matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

Barkley rushed for 255 yards on the night and had 302 total yards of offense in a game that saw A.J. Brown log 109 yards receiving and a touchdown on seven targets.

Watch: Matthew Stafford throws an absolute dime to Colby Parkinson for 4th TD vs. Patriots

Matthew Stafford’s fourth touchdown pass of the game was a beauty to Colby Parkinson

For the second time this season, Matthew Stafford has four touchdown passes. His first three against the New England Patriots were all good, but his fourth of the afternoon was arguably his best.

He hit Colby Parkinson for a 19-yard score on a beautiful fade-away pass into the back of the end zone, floating it perfectly over the top of the defense. Parkinson did a good job staying in bounds, catching his first touchdown pass of the season from Stafford.

The score put the Rams up 28-13 over the Patriots, giving them a little bit more of a cushion against New England.

Sean McVay explains why Colby Parkinson’s role has shrunk significantly

Colby Parkinson went from playing almost every snap to being a backup, and Sean McVay explained why that is

With the Rams’ offense struggling, Sean McVay is looking for ways to get things back on track. One of the most notable changes in the last two weeks has been Colby Parkinson’s role.

A big free-agent addition, Parkinson’s playing time has dropped significantly in the last two weeks, seeing the field for just 43 total snaps after playing 46 snaps alone in Week 8. Against the Dolphins on Monday night, he was barely involved. He played just 11 total snaps and for the second straight week, he wasn’t targeted a single time.

Davis Allen has seemingly taken over as the top tight end on the depth chart and he’s coming off a five-catch game against Miami. On Wednesday, McVay was asked if Parkinson’s healthy considering how little he’s played, and he shared a bit about what’s led to that change.

“He is,” McVay said. “What we’re looking at is, I think (TEs coach Nick) Caley does a great job with those tight ends. It’s really just we’ve had some different personnel groupings and it’s really trying to maximize those three guys, both Davis, Hunter (Long), and obviously Colby. They’ve done some good things, but I think the strength of the unit is in that unit and being able to get all those guys involved.”

Parkinson was underperforming as a starter, catching just 23 passes for 214 yards so far this season. He’s also had his struggles as a blocker in the run game, and an illegal formation penalty against the Seahawks in Week 9 didn’t help his case, either.

It sounds like all three tight ends will continue to play each week but Parkinson has clearly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff in recent weeks and he may not go back to playing 80-plus percent of the snaps again.

Colby Parkinson is the latest FA signing to be benched by the Rams, and he might not be the last

With Colby Parkinson being demoted, the Rams’ 2024 free-agent class is shaping up to be one of the worst in recent memory

The Los Angeles Rams didn’t shy away from spending in free agency this past offseason, something they haven’t done in recent years in an attempt to be financially smart. They opened up their wallets for Jonah Jackson, Colby Parkinson, Darious Williams, Kam Curl and Tre’Davious White, signing them to contracts worth a total value of $109.25 million.

Though Williams and Curl are playing well, the rest of the free-agent class has been a bust. Parkinson is the latest offseason addition to be benched by the Rams, a terrible sign for the veteran tight end who earned a $22.5 million deal this offseason.

In Week 10 against the Dolphins Parkinson played a season-low 11 snaps, per PFF. He wasn’t a starter on offense, being the third tight end to get on the field behind Davis Allen and Hunter Long. The Rams were confident he’d be an impact player for them when he was signed to a three-year deal but he’s done very little to help a struggling offense.

Allen, a fifth-round pick in 2023, led the tight end group with 56 snaps played, the second straight week he’s gotten more opportunities than Parkinson. He was targeted six times in the Rams’ 23-15 loss to the Dolphins, catching five of those passes for 34 yards.

Parkinson, meanwhile, wasn’t targeted a single time for the second straight week and has only 17 yards receiving in his last three games combined. At this point, he’s not even contributing much as a blocker, with those snaps going to Long when the Rams are in 12 personnel.

Considering Allen’s performance against the Dolphins and Parkinson’s lack of involvement, it’s hard to see Parkinson going back to a starting role anytime soon.

Sadly, he might not be the last free-agent signing to be benched by the Rams. Jackson could be next.

In his first game back since Week 2, Jackson struggled badly at center. His biggest mistake was a high snap that resulted in a 13-yard loss, killing what was an otherwise promising drive.

Sean McVay said after the game that “everything’s on the table” when discussing the offensive line, an indication that perhaps even the $51 million lineman could be benched in favor of Beaux Limmer, a sixth-round rookie.

Championships aren’t won in free agency, but between White, Parkinson and Jackson, the Rams seem to have whiffed on three of their biggest signings.

Fantasy football: Top Week 3 waiver targets include two Rams

With injuries to Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, two Rams pass-catchers are among this week’s top waiver targets in fantasy football

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were two popular targets in fantasy football drafts this year, each going in the first couple of rounds. Unfortunately for anyone who drafted them, both Rams receivers will be out awhile.

Nacua is already on injured reserve and Cooper Kupp is likely to join him, opening the door for other pass-catchers on the Rams’ roster to step up. Demarcus Robinson and Colby Parkinson could be the two biggest beneficiaries of the increased opportunities from a fantasy perspective.

That makes both of them waiver targets this week ahead of the Rams’ Week 3 game against the 49ers. Robinson is sure to be a popular pick-up for those at the top of the waiver order considering he’s now the Rams’ No. 1 option at wide receiver. Through two games, he’s caught just six passes for 92 yards but he should see more targets now that Kupp and Nacua are out.

Obviously, he won’t produce to the level that either of those guys have, but Robinson is a very good option when you look at how he played late last season as the No. 3 receiver. From Week 13-17, he caught 21 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns in those five games. We could expect similar production from him moving forward.

As for Parkinson, he too could see an uptick in fantasy points. He’s run 67 total routes in two games, per PFF, second-most of any tight end in the NFL, behind only Sam LaPorta. He’s only caught five passes for 59 yards, but it’s not for a lack of routes run. He’s only stayed in to block on nine passing plays so far, which means when the Rams are throwing the ball, he’s likely to be one of the five eligible receivers.

He’ll be competing with Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell for targets but Matthew Stafford likes his tight ends and with his size, Parkinson should be a weapon in the red zone.

Outside of Robinson and Parkinson, Johnson, Whittington and Atwell could all be waiver wire targets in fantasy this week, too. But it’s Robinson and Parkinson who should be at the top of your list, especially if you had Kupp or Nacua.

Fantasy Football: 20 waiver wire targets for Week 3

Scrambling to replace Isiah Pacheco and Cooper Kupp in your fantasy football lineup? Here are 20 waiver wire targets to consider this week.

We’re just two weeks into the 2024 NFL season and injuries are already piling up across the league.

The two biggest injuries from a fantasy football perspective this week are Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (who is going on injured reserve with an ankle injury) and Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (who is also a candidate for IR with an ankle injury).

The in-house candidates to replace Pacheco in KC are Samaje Perine and Carson Steele, but there might be non-Chiefs running backs available on the waiver wire who are better options to replace Pacheco in your fantasy lineup. Kansas City is also bringing in Kareem Hunt for a free agent visit today.

In Los Angeles, the Rams are now missing both Puka Nacua and Kupp. That leaves Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson as the top WRs still standing, and rookie Jordan Whittington is a massive sleeper to consider this week.

Check out the full list of fantasy football waiver wire targets below. Each player’s roster percentage in ESPN fantasy football leagues is listed in parentheses.

  1. RB Bucky Irving (30%)
  2. RB Braelon Allen (8%)
  3. RB Kareem Hunt (1%)
  4. RB Rico Dowdle (38%)
  5. RB Dameon Pierce (3%)
  6. RB Antonio Gibson (33%)
  7. RB Trey Benson (44%)
  8. RB Samaje Perine (4%)
  9. RB Carson Steele (2%)
  10. WR Quentin Johnston (7%)
  11. WR Alec Pierce (14%)
  12. WR Demarcus Robinson (34%)
  13. WR Jordan Whittington (3%)
  14. WR Tyler Johnson (13%)
  15. WR Tutu Atwell (1%)
  16. TE Colby Parkinson (45%)
  17. TE Zach Ertz (7%)
  18. TE Hunter Henry (11%)
  19. QB Justin Fields (32%)
  20. QB Derek Carr (10%)

For more fantasy football coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Could a shift to 12 personnel help ailing Rams offense?

The current version of the Rams offense isn’t working and with their WRs banged up, a shift toward heavier packages could help.

There are several things wrong with the Los Angeles Rams’ offense right now. They can’t run the ball with any sort of consistency, ranking 31st in rushing yards and yards per carry through two games.

When Matthew Stafford tries to throw the ball, he’s pressured quickly because the offensive line has struggled to protect him – even against a poor pass rush like the Cardinals’ unit on Sunday.

Trailing against both the Lions and Cardinals has something to do with it, making the offense one-dimensional and heavily skewed toward the pass, but the Rams need a solution to their current inefficiency. It especially won’t be easy to fix if Cooper Kupp misses time with an ankle injury.

One possible answer to the Rams’ problem is a shift toward more 12 personnel, which puts two tight ends, one running back and two receivers on the field together. Through two weeks, the Rams haven’t run a single play out of anything besides 11 personnel. The next-closest team is Cleveland, which has been in 11 personnel 85.5% of the time.

It might not be a bad idea to change that in Week 3 against the 49ers. The Rams took a similar approach in 2020 when they shifted away from 11 personnel and more toward 12 personnel, which yielded positive rushing performances of 119 and 186 yards against the Cardinals and Patriots that year.

For a team dealing with injuries along the offensive line and at wide receiver, it could be a perfect time to change philosophies and try to become a more physical team on the line of scrimmage.

They have three capable tight ends in Colby Parkinson, Hunter Long and Davis Allen (if healthy) to lean on, too.

Getting two tight ends on the field together would allow the Rams to chip edge rushers, hopefully making life easier for their tackles. It could also help seal off defenders on off-tackle runs to the outside, something that hasn’t worked through two weeks.

Under Sean McVay, the Rams have been able to use 11 personnel so heavily because they’ve always had a quality trio of receivers. They don’t have that right now with Puka Nacua out and Kupp possibly joining him on the shelf. Running the ball out of 11 personnel with Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington or Tutu Atwell won’t come nearly as easily as it does with Kupp and Nacua blocking on the edge.

At least with two tight ends, the blocking up front should improve for Kyren Williams and the rushing attack, ideally sparking a ground game that has been non-existent for two games.

Much of this could hinge on Kupp’s health. If he’s good to go, the Rams can get away with still utilizing 11 personnel most of the time. If not, they should consider playing Parkinson and Long or Allen together because what they’ve done thus far has not worked.

Matthew Stafford: Rams TEs are ‘as talented and as deep’ as I’ve had in NFL

Matthew Stafford paid the Rams’ tight ends a huge compliment, saying it’s probably the best room he’s had in the NFL

The Los Angeles Rams have had good stability at tight end during Sean McVay’s tenure. Tyler Higbee has held down that position for years and from 2017-2020, the Rams also had the very talented Gerald Everett as their No. 2 option.

In the last two years, McVay and Les Snead have been fairly aggressive at this position. They signed Higbee to an extension last September, drafted Davis Allen in the fifth round in 2023 and signed Colby Parkinson to a three-year deal in free agency. They also acquired Hunter Long, a former third-round pick, in the Jalen Ramsey trade. Not to mention, they were in hot pursuit of Brock Bowers in Round 1 of the draft this year.

Though they didn’t end up with Bowers, the result of their moves has been a deep and talented tight end room. Just ask Matthew Stafford.

He said on “Inside Rams Camp” Thursday that the Rams’ tight end group is as good as he’s had since he came into the NFL in 2009.

“I think it’s as talented and as deep a room as I’ve been a part of since I’ve probably been in the league,” Stafford said. “And when you get Higs back healthy, it’s going to be a big strength for our team. I’m excited about these guys, they’re working their (expletive) off and it’s going to be good for us.”

Stafford has had some talented tight ends in his career, from Brandon Pettigrew to Eric Ebron to T.J. Hockenson. However, collectively, he believes the Rams’ combination of Higbee, Parkinson, Allen and Long is as deep as he’s had on a team.

Parkinson is expected to be the Rams’ starting tight end at the beginning of the season with Higbee on the PUP list currently, but Allen is pushing for snaps at the position, too. Both guys have big frames as receivers and wide catch radiuses, making them excellent red zone targets for Stafford, too.

It’ll be fun to see how this group plays out as the season progresses, especially once Higbee returns from his knee injury.

McVay: TE Davis Allen took ‘tremendous step in the right direction’ this offseason

Davis Allen is a player to watch at tight end with Tyler Higbee still rehabbing a knee injury

Tyler Higbee’s 2023 season ended in heartbreaking fashion, suffering a torn ACL and MCL in the Rams’ playoff loss to the Lions in January. Given the severity of the injury and the timing of it, Higbee might not be ready for the start of the 2024 season.

That would leave Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Hunter Long atop the depth chart at tight end, which isn’t a terrible group to have but it would certainly be better with Higbee available. Parkinson has had a nice offseason so far despite being limited slightly by an injury, but Allen is lurking, too.

Sean McVay said this week that Allen has really progressed well this offseason, a positive statement from the Rams head coach about his second-year tight end.

“I thought Davis Allen took a tremendous step in the right direction,” McVay said. “The game makes sense to him. I thought when Higbee ended up needing a spell towards the latter part of the year if he missed a game, Davis filled in and he did a great job. Played big time in Baltimore, he played big in Washington, made some big-time plays in the Detroit game. I always loved watching his tape at Clemson where there’s certain guys you can just see have a feel.”

Allen was a fifth-round pick by the Rams last year and he suited up for 15 games, making one start. He only caught 10 passes for 95 yards, but he was also targeted just 11 times in 192 offensive snaps played.

It’s unlikely that he’ll overtake a veteran like Parkinson, whom the Rams signed in free agency, but it seems he’s squarely in the mix to be TE2 while Higbee is out.

McVay: Colby Parkinson is ‘definitely going to add real value’ to Rams offense

Colby Parkinson has been limited this offseason but Sean McVay can already tell he’s going to be an impactful player in 2024

With Tyler Higbee rehabbing a torn ACL and MCL, the Los Angeles Rams wanted to add to their tight end room this offseason. They didn’t address the position in the draft, but they did sign Colby Parkinson early in free agency to a three-year deal worth $22.5 million.

It’s a sizable deal for a tight end with only 57 career catches in four seasons, but the Rams see a lot of potential in the former Seahawk. At 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, he has the size teams covet at the position and a catch radius that could make him a valuable red zone target for Matthew Stafford.

Sean McVay told reporters Tuesday that Parkinson has been slightly limited by some lingering ailments, but he can already tell how impactful the 25-year-old tight end will be for Los Angeles in 2024 and beyond.

“He’s a guy that’s been a little bit limited based on some things that he’s worked through this offseason, but you saw him climb the ladder, make a big catch today. I always really appreciated the growth that you watched,” McVay said. “And I thought Shane (Waldron) did a great job utilizing his skillset in Seattle where you could really get a good evaluation. What a special person first and foremost, and then you see the size really from our tight end group as a whole. But he’s definitely going to add real value. We’re looking forward to being able to getting the pads on and playing real football when we can kind of get a little bit better evaluation in a full speed setting. But the size, the instincts, just the overall character, we’re certainly excited about him.”

Higbee may not be ready for the beginning of the regular season, which would elevate Parkinson into a starting role – assuming he beats out Davis Allen and Hunter Long in a camp battle.

Parkinson’s receiving skills weren’t on full display in Seattle where he was buried on the depth chart but his 2024 campaign in Los Angeles could be a breakout opportunity for the California native.