The Atlanta Falcons just made Kyle Pitts the highest-paid tight end on a three-year deal in NFL history. While that story is about Atlanta, it has major implications for a team across the country stacking up a tight end room, the Los Angeles Rams.
Colby Parkinson is entering the final year of his 3 year contract. He will be 28 years old heading into the next offseason, and if the Rams are serious about their Super Bowl future, how they handle his future matters more than most people realize right now.
Pitts set a clear market for Colby Parkinson's extension
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
There has been some chatter that the Rams could release Parkinson before the season. That idea is about as outlandish as it sounds. This is a team that is running four tight ends into 2026 those being Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, and Max Klare with Davis Allen likely landing on the practice squad. The Rams are committed to the position, and Parkinson sits at the top of that room.
What makes the Kyle Pitts deal so interesting is the context surrounding it. Pitts is undeniably talented, but his production has been inconsistent, and injuries have derailed large portions of his career in Atlanta. Yet the Falcons handed him the largest three-year contract ever given to a tight end. That sets a market, whether the rest of the league likes it or not.
Now consider what Colby brings. He has been exceptionally productive for the Rams, making big plays when called upon and quietly becoming one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFC. He does the dirty work that does not always show up in highlight reels, but Sean McVay knows exactly what he has. Parkinson has been reliable, healthy, and especially effective, three things that are not always guaranteed at the tight end position.
So when Pitts commands top-of-market money with the resume he has, it stands to reason that Parkinson, who has arguably been more consistent on a per-opportunity basis, is going to be in for a real payday of his own. When the Rams go on a Super Bowl run this season, that payday gets even bigger. A championship, a full season of strong play, and a wide-open tight end market because of Pitts’ deal? Parkinson's representation will have every reason to push hard for a significant long-term extension.
There is also a changing-of-the-guard that is also worth noting. Tyler Higbee has been a Ram for a long time, and his career is winding down. When that chapter closes, someone has to hold the keys to the tight end room. Right now, everything points to Parkinson being that person. He has the talent, the experience in this system, and clearly the trust of the coaching staff.
The Falcons thought Kyle Pitts was worth record-setting money, and the Rams would be wise to take a long look at what Parkinson has built here. Because by the next offseason arrives, someone else certainly will.
