The Los Angeles Rams (5-5) have had a key replacement at the tight end position for the entire year and has been an added bright spot to a team littered with injuries. Fifth-year tight end Colby Parkinson has taken over as the top tight end in the offense and has not skipped a beat.
Parkinson has filled the role of tight end Tyler Higbee, who has been injured since last year's Wild Card matchup with the Detroit Lions. Higbee had a serious knee injury that had kept him out for the entire offseason and a majority of this season.
Having to assume that starting spot, Parking has been a nice piece to compliment the high powered passing game with guys like Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Parkinson caught his first touchdown pass this past Sunday on a 19-yard strike from quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Head coach Sean McVay could not be happier with the production that he has seen from Parkinson in an expanded role this season.
"I was really pleased with him," McVay said. "I thought he did a nice job. We didn't have many snaps
offensively as a whole, but I thought he maximized the ones that he did play. Obviously, it was a
great throw and catch by him and Matthew [Stafford] on the touchdown. I thought he did some really good things in the run game. I think he's practiced well. [Tight Ends Coach/Pass Game Coordinator]
Nick Caley's done a great job with that group as a whole where you've seen improvement from
Colby, you've seen Hunter Long, you've seen [TE] Davis Allen, and they're trending in the right
direction. I thought Colby did a really good job and I was proud of Colby yesterday."
So far through 10 games played, Parkinson has 233 receiving yards on 24 receptions and one touchdown score. He has worked extremely hard the entire offseason into the first half of this year and his efforts paid off this past Sunday when he found the end zone.
"It's huge. That's been a theme that we've talked about with you guys a lot throughout this year is
when we're able to finish drives in the red zone," McVay said. "When we're able to do some things in the run game, a lot of nice things come off that. I think that's where he [Parkinson] made his positive contributions felt so that was big. It was good for him to be able to see a lot of the work that he's put in pay off with some of the ops that he had yesterday. That was cool for him."
There will be another opportunity this week for Parkinson to shine in primetime as the Rams welcome the Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) to SoFi Stadium on Sunday Night Football. If the Rams are knocking on the door in the red zone, do not be surprised if Parkinson gets a few targets for another TD scor.e
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as How Rams Veteran Has Stepped Up In Starting Role.