Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: TE Colby Parkinson - Elite Red Zone Threat?

Finally healthy after battling foot issues in his first two seasons, Colby Parkinson emerged as a seam-stretching threat for Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, setting the stage for a potentially big fourth season heading towards free agency.

Corbin K. Smith | Jul 9, 2023

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason activities in the rearview mirror, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC later this month, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Colby Parkinson, Tight End

Height/Weight: 6-7, 251 pounds

2022 Stats: 25 receptions, 322 yards, two touchdowns

Set back by foot injuries in his first two seasons after being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Seahawks, Parkinson missed extensive time rehabbing and failed to establish much of a rapport with former quarterback Russell Wilson. Playing less than 250 combined offensive snaps in 20 regular season games, the former Stanford standout caught only seven passes for 49 yards and didn't score a single touchdown. But the time sidelined proved to be a blessing in disguise, as he added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame in the weight room during rehab.

With that added strength and improved technique coupled with a clean bill of health, Parkinson evolved into a quality inline blocking tight end in his third season in Seattle, receiving a career-high 443 snaps on offense and earning a stellar 68.1 overall blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. In addition, he averaged north of 12 yards per reception, emerging as a viable complementary receiving target for quarterback Geno Smith to stretch opposing defenses down the seam.

Best-Case Scenario: Further bolstering his value for free agency next spring, Parkinson gradually eats away at snaps for veterans Will Dissly and Noah Fant thanks to his red zone prowess and improved blocking, eventually becoming Seattle's starter in the second half of the season and finishing with 40-plus receptions and six touchdowns to lead tight ends in both categories.

Worst-Case Scenario: Though Parkinson continues to make strides as a blocker and catches a trio of touchdowns, he and his tight end counterparts don't see many targets in the passing game with the Seahawks boasting one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, preventing him from matching his reception and receiving yardage numbers from 2022.

What to Expect in 2023: Bouncing back from the injuries that stunted his development in his first two seasons, Parkinson capitalized on his first legitimate chance to flash his unique combination of size, athleticism, and soft hands. From the outset, Smith showed plenty of confidence in him and the California native rewarded the veteran quarterback for his faith by posting a 73.5 percent catch rate and recording zero drops. On top of that, he surpassed all expectations as a blocker, showcasing physicality and toughness that wasn't evident from him in college.

On the precipice of free agency and only 24 years old, Parkinson may have the most upside of any tight end on Seattle's roster and after setting career-bests in receptions, receiving yardage, and touchdowns a year ago, he likely has just scratched the surface of his potential. As long as he can stay healthy, even with his targets potentially set to go down a bit with first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba joining an already loaded receiving corps, he should be a major matchup problem for defenses to cover in one of the NFL's premier offensive arsenals and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him produce half a dozen touchdowns or more.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles

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Published Jul 9, 2023

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.