When you think of Los Angeles Rams breakout candidates on the offensive side of the ball, Terrance Ferguson is one of the first to come to mind. Pass catches usually get all the glory, and statistically Ferguson is primed for the biggest jump.
But if the Rams continue their more frequent deployment of multiple TE packages, the key to making everything work is truly Colby Parkinson.
To Parkinson’s credit, his production in year two in LA was significantly better than his first. There may still be room
to grow; however, that’s not where his value comes from. His most important contributions cannot be measured in the box score.
- 2024: 34 catches on 51 targets for 316 yards and two TD’s
- 2025: 51 catches on 71 targets for 560 yards and nine TD’s
Last season 53% of Parkinson’s snaps came in the passing game. That is a pretty even split for a team that generally leans towards attacking through the air.
But once you factor in his pass blocking snaps, Parkinson was a blocker on 58% of his plays. That’s a notable differential. Parkinson led all Rams TE’s in pass blocking snaps both in total and on a percentage basis. He’s often doing the dirty work in order to make the offense go.
Ferguson seems primed for a big year. His positional flexibility will keep the Rams explosive despite using heavier personnel package. Parkinson’s role is undervalued and difficult to measure.
Room for improvement
Let’s limit the conversation to receivers and tight ends only.
Davante Adams led the traditional pass catchers in terms of total drops with nine, but he was targeted 135 times (11.3%). More concerning is the fact that Parkinson finished just behind Adams with seven drops. On a percentage basis this comes to 12.1%.
It’s difficult to efficiently run an offense when two of the top three players in terms of target share drop passes more frequently than one out of every 10 passes in their direction. Some will consider this an opportunity for easy improvement in 2026. It’s a troubling problem if their hands don’t become more reliable into next season.
Parkinson is the most important Rams TE. He can still be more reliable.
