Former Chargers TE Lands With AFC West Rival

Ricardo Sandoval | Aug 30, 2024

Dec 27, 2020; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers tight end Donald Parham (89) stiff arms Denver Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia (23) in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Former Los Angeles Chargers tight end Donald Parham has found a new team in the AFC West.

Parham has signed a deal with the Denver Broncos to join their practice squad. The team announced via Twitter/X.

We've signed TE Donald Parham to the practice squad.

📰 » https://t.co/ROGc5FjN8e pic.twitter.com/nf7kwJ1Bxf

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 29, 2024

The Broncos added the veteran tight end on Thursday after the Chargers released him as a part of the final roster cuts on Tuesday. Denver previously announced that they had signed 15 players to their practice squad, and Parham Jr. now makes it 16.

Parham will wear the same jersey number he did with the Chargers, No. 89. Parham has been quite solid in his career against the Broncos, recording nine receptions for 147 yards.

First-year general manager Joe Hortiz's decision to cut Parham was a bit of a surprise, as he's been a constant presence for the Bolts in the last four years. However, considering that the Bolts signed Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst, there appeared to be no room for the 27-year-old.

Parham is a mountain of a man, standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 237 pounds. He spent most of his career in Los Angeles Angheels from 2020-23. In his time in Los Angeles, he tallied 67 catches for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 11.4 yards per reception.

His best and most productive season came in 2023 when he caught 27 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games and eight starts. Parham Jr. will join an old friend in Denver with their new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, who served in the same role for the Bolts from 2021-22.

Parham entered the NFL in 2019 as an undrafted rookie from Stetson University. He signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent but was quickly waived two days later. After his quick stint with the Lions, Parham signed with the then-Washington Redskins after a minicamp tryout but was released at the beginning of the 2019 season.

Just before Parham joined the Chargers, he was selected by the Dallas Renegades of the XFL in the ninth round of the 2020 XFL Draft. He had a brief stint there after his contract was terminated when the league suspended operations in April 2020.

A couple of days later, he signed with the Chargers and had a solid start. His first reception was a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Florida native will look to make his mark with the Broncos this upcoming season.

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