Seahawks Free Agency: Will Colby Parkinson Return as Featured Tight End?

While consistency hasn't been there to this point, Colby Parkinson has generated big plays when the Seattle Seahawks have tried to get him involved as a receiver. Could a bigger role in a revamped tight end room with a new offensive scheme be on tap?

On the heels of a disappointing 9-8 season that ended without a playoff berth and the departure of long-time coach Pete Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks have plenty of roster questions to address heading into a crucial offseason with a new regime in place.

When the new league year opens on March 13, Seattle will have 14 players scheduled to hit the market as unrestricted free agents. Four players will be restricted free agents and five will be exclusive rights free agents, while several other key veterans such as Pro Bowl safety Julian Love will be entering the final season of their respective deals ready to negotiate extensions.

Over the next several weeks, I will break down each and every one of the Seahawks' unrestricted free agents by revisiting their 2023 seasons, assessing why they should or should not be re-signed, breaking down an ideal contract, and making an early prediction on whether or not the player will return in 2024.

After another healthy season with subtle improvements as an all-around tight end, will the Seattle Seahawks look to re-sign Colby Parkinson with a more extensive role as part of his future?

Season in Review

Following a mild breakout campaign in 2022, Parkinson nearly equaled all of his receiving production from the year prior as a complementary target at the tight end position, perfectly matching his numbers with 25 catches, two touchdowns, and a 73.5 percent catch rate. Though he started only one game with Noah Fant and Will Dissly ahead of him on the depth chart and wasn't quite as prolific generating big plays in the passing game with only 247 receiving yards, he still logged a new career-high with 497 offensive snaps and contributed on special teams as well.

Why Seattle Should Re-Sign Him

Still a young pup at 25 years old, Parkinson has come through on most of the limited opportunities he has received to impact Seattle's passing attack. Over the past two seasons, he has caught 50 out of his 62 targets for 569 yards, averaging a healthy 11.4 yards per catch. Demonstrating soft hands for a 6-7, 265-pound tight end, he only dropped two of those targets and excelled catching the ball in traffic, including hauling in six out of seven contested catches in 2023. The massive target also showed a clutch gene in the red zone, snagging a game-winning score against the Titans and producing a pair of touchdowns on four receptions inside the opposing 20-yard line.

When Colby Parkinson has had chances to pitch in as a receiver, he has consistently generated big plays, which could lead to the Seahawks bringing him back with hopes a breakout year is on tap / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Rapidly improving as a blocker since being drafted in the fourth round out of Stanford in 2020, Parkinson took another strong step forward in that department, finishing 10th out of 91 qualified tight ends in run blocking grade (64.1). He also did a steady job in limited pass blocking reps, yielding three pressures, no quarterback hits, and no sacks on 41 pass protection snaps, proving himself to be a legitimate all-around tight end.

Why Seattle Should Let Him Walk

While Parkinson has flashed in spurts with the foot injuries that dogged him in his first two NFL seasons behind him, he has been anything but a consistent contributor for the Seahawks. Last season, he finished with one or fewer receptions and nine or less yards in nine games, disappearing for long stretches such as catching a combined three passes for 18 yards in a six-game span from late October to December. After finishing with a quality 6.0 yards after the catch per reception average in 2022, he also provided far less value with the ball in his hands last season, producing just 91 yards after the catch on his 25 receptions.

Ideal Contract

One year, $3.5 million

Prediction

From a potential standpoint, Parkinson has tantalized with his rare mix of size, athleticism, and hands when given the opportunity to be a factor for the Seahawks, manufacturing a handful of splash plays over the past two seasons that leave you wanting more. If Fant leaves in free agency and/or Dissly gets cut for cap relief, he could be one of the biggest benefactors of Ryan Grubb's offensive scheme coming to town, as the coordinator has an extensive history of using tight ends effectively in the passing game and he could see a major uptick in targets as a result. Given his age and perceived high ceiling, bringing him back on a one-year prove it deal could pay massive dividends and lead to a lucrative extension in 2025.

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But while Parkinson has been held back in part by the presence of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in an offense that didn't always do a good job implementing tight ends, looking at his career statistics in totality, he hasn't even hit 650 receiving yards or five touchdowns in four seasons. Investing a contract in him for a penny more than the $3 to $4 million range would be a major gamble. His promise as a red zone threat and field stretching weapon could lead to a few teams paying more for upside than actual production and if that happens, Seattle likely will go a different direction.

Previous Seahawks Free Agency Previews

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