Although the Las Vegas Raiders improved pretty much across the board this offseason, it is a stretch to say that the team has many "strengths." On paper, the Silver and Black have some real promise, but there isn't much in the way of proven talent, nor have the new pieces been seen together yet.
One position group that is undeniably a strength, though, is tight end. Between Brock Bowers, who is an All-Pro when healthy, and Michael Mayer, a stud in his own right who just needs to stay on the field, the Raiders have it figured out at this spot. And Ian Thomas and Carter Runyon are solid, too.
But what if a way existed to bolster that strength even more? For Las Vegas to double down on the only thing that has made their offense go these past few years? Well, if the Los Angeles Rams make the mistake of letting Colby Parkinson walk out the door, the Raiders would have to pounce.
Rams releasing Colby Parkinson would give Las Vegas Raiders interesting choice to make
Bleacher Report's Alex Kay recently listed five cut candidates around the NFL, and several of them could be of interest to the Silver and Black. But Parkinson stands out above the rest. Here was Kay's reasoning for why Parkinson could be on the way out of Los Angeles after another strong year.
"The Los Angeles Rams packed their tight ends room to capacity this offseason. With several new faces joining an already-crowded group, Colby Parkinson—one of the top veterans from last year's squad—could be on his way out the door.
"Parkinson emerged as L.A.'s best receiving TE in 2025, putting up a career-best stat line of 43 catches, 408 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He logged a 61 percent offensive snap share—also the highest of his career—and proved he could be a legitimate weapon in the right system after a half-decade of pedestrian performances.
"Despite this, Parkinson is going into the final year of his contract and has no guaranteed money left on the deal. Cutting him would save a cash-strapped Rams squad $7 million, dollars the club could use to bolster far weaker points of the roster."
Because the Rams have so many good tight ends waiting in the wings, they could see Parkinson as expendable. And even though Las Vegas probably needs an addition at wide receiver or defensive tackle more, none of the proposed options at those spots make sense. Parkinson does, however.
First of all, he is 6-foot-7, which is a massive target for either Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza. And Parkinson is a good run blocker with experience in an outside zone system, as he spent the last few years playing under Sean McVay.
At just 27 years old, he also fits the timeline of what the Raiders are building. Parkinson won't be too old by the time the team turns things around, and he is coming off a career year. He is undoubtedly a better player than Thomas or Runyon, and he could even challenge Mayer for second-string reps.
Starting isn't as important as rotating in and playing a pivotal role, though, and Kubiak would certainly have one for him. The NFL is moving toward multi-tight-end sets, even up to 13 personnel (three tight ends on the field at once), and Parkinson could help form a three-headed monster in Las Vegas.
Even though he played just 61% of the snaps last season, Parkinson caught 43 passes for 408 yards and a whopping eight touchdowns in 2025. He did so largely working in tandem with a set of other very good tight ends, and Parkinson would find himself surrounded by great ones with the Raiders.
Kubiak has shown a willingness to move with the times and adopt these multi-tight-end groupings, so Parkinson might even be a priority if released. This is especially true when one considers that Mayer has one year left on his rookie deal and could potentially leave next offseason for a bigger role.
Whether the three-headed monster stays intact for years or Parkinson serves as mere insurance for Mayer, the Raiders need to make him a priority if the Rams are foolish enough to let him walk out the door. It may not be perceived as the biggest need, but Las Vegas can't turn its nose up at talent.
Parkinson is skilled, would easily find a role in Kubiak's offense and allows the Raiders to hedge their bets heading into next season. The Silver and Black aren't just making moves that will make a difference this year; they are building for the future. But Parkinson would accomplish both.
Add us as a preferred source on Google