Pete Carroll: 'Nothing to Keep' Seahawks TE Colby Parkinson From Being Factor
RENTON, WA - Selected as a fourth-round pick out of Stanford, Colby Parkinson's NFL career didn't get off to a preferred start. While the Seahawks didn't hold an on-field offseason program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the young tight end broke his fifth metatarsal during a workout in early June and underwent surgery.
As a result, Parkinson didn't get to participate at all in training camp as he recovered and opened his rookie season on the Non-Football Injury list. Per league rules, players under such circumstances must miss the first six weeks minimum and he wasn't activated until a Week 8 home game against San Francisco.
Not having a healthy Parkinson from the outset proved to be significant loss for the Seahawks, who certainly could have used him given the underwhelming production they received from their underperforming tight end group last season.
Coming back from an Achilles tear, while he remained stout as a run blocker and finally stayed healthy for a full season, Will Dissly finished with less receiving yards (251) in 16 games than he did in just five games before the injury in 2019. Veterans Greg Olsen and Jacob Hollister also failed to produce as hoped, combining for just 49 receptions, 448 receiving yards, and four touchdowns.
Considering those struggles and the fact Olsen was hobbled by a foot injury most of the second half, Parkinson looked poised to see an uptick in snaps down the stretch with Seattle's offense sputtering.
But with the exception of a blowout win over the New York Jets, those snaps never materialized, as Parkinson played a grand total of 18 offensive snaps in four other games during December and January. Though he did dress for six games, the injury ultimately made his first year in Seattle a wash, as he played just 51 offensive snaps and recorded two receptions for 16 yards.
Putting the disappointment of a lost rookie year behind him, however, Parkinson finds himself in far more ideal circumstances heading into his second NFL season.
Fully healthy, Parkinson arrived at Seattle's offseason program in phenomenal physical shape, sporting a chiseled 6-foot-7, 265-pound frame and looking noticeably quicker as a route runner compared to his college days. He shined throughout OTAs and minicamp, reeling in several catches gliding down the seam with his long, giraffe-like strides and seeing snaps all over the formation in team sessions.
"Colby's gonna be a factor," coach Pete Carroll gushed following Tuesday's initial minicamp workout. "There's nothing to keep him from being a factor. At 6'7, you know he's got a target that's just obviously unique. But he's got great hands, he's a natural catcher, his catching range is normal as can be, gets off the ground well when he has to."
"He's a really bright player, he's picked stuff up. Because of the time he missed on the field with us, he really dove into the strength program and he just pumped up and he's better now than he was at the end when he became active for us."
While the Seahawks did sign Gerald Everett during free agency to team back up with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who coached him during the past four seasons with the Rams, Olsen announced his retirement in February and Hollister bolted to join his college teammate Josh Allen in Buffalo. With only three draft picks and limited cap space, Seattle didn't make any other notable moves addressing the tight end position this offseason.
Minus Olsen and Hollister, Parkinson should have ample chances to see the field in a scheme expected to feature more 12 personnel groupings featuring multiple tight ends. If Waldron's offense runs similar to the one coach Sean McVay deploys in Los Angeles, there should be greater emphasis on using tight ends in the passing game than prior years as well.
That's excellent news for Parkinson, who offers wideout skills in a tight end body and possesses quality athletic traits for his size. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.77 seconds entering the 2020 NFL Draft, and while that's not necessarily elite speed for his position, it's more than fast enough to create matchup problems for smaller linebackers and safeties in coverage. This makes him especially difficult to defend in red zone situations when he can box defenders out and high point the football.
Considering Parkinson's size, athleticism, and overall skill set, Wilson hasn't had a comparable target since Jimmy Graham left after the 2017 season. Though Graham felt like a round peg trying to fit into a square hole at times, he did amass 2,048 yards and 18 touchdowns in three seasons with the Seahawks. While it wouldn't be reasonable to expect Parkinson to produce those kind of numbers, he could be a touchdown "vulture" with teams keying on DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Though Parkinson will have to prove he can handle the rigors of blocking as an in-line tight end to earn additional playing time in Seattle - his height creates natural leverage issues at times - his reliability as a receiver alone should allow him to carve out a significant role in Waldron's passing attack in 2021. During his final season at Stanford, he impressively wasn't charged with a single drop on nearly 90 targets, making him one of just two tight ends in the nation without a drop on more than 50 targets.
If those soft hands translate to the next level - practices this spring have indicated that won't be a concern - and he stays healthy, Parkinson should give the Seahawks yet another potentially dangerous weapon at Wilson's disposal. With Everett and Dissly set to become free agents next March, a quality sophomore campaign could position him to become the franchise's No. 1 tight end in the near future and provide much-needed long-term clarity at the position moving forward.
