Getty Colby Parkinson warms up for a game against the Eagles.
The Seattle Seahawks will enter the season shorthanded at a key position. Tight end Colby Parkinson suffered a foot injury and will be out for the foreseeable future. According to head coach Pete Carroll, “it’s going to be a bit” that Parkinson remains away from the team.
Per Gregg Bell of the “Tacoma News Tribune,” Carroll provided the update on Friday, Aug. 13, after a training camp practice. He confirmed during a media availability that Parkinson refractured the foot that he broke as a rookie in 2020. The tight end will potentially begin the season on the injured list and will miss the opening game against the Indianapolis Colts.
John Boyle of the Seahawks media team added that the injury “doesn’t seem to be as bad” as in 2020. However, the team will seek out more opinions about the injury and determine exactly how long Parkinson will be out of commission as the Seahawks strive to defend the NFC West title.
“It’s really disappointing because he was having a fantastic camp and we really had hopes that he had a role, he’d fit in and he was looking like it,” Carroll said, per “Seahawks Maven.” ”He sparked really early, so we’ll look forward to him coming back.”
Parkinson Missed Most of the 2020 Season
A fourth-round pick out of Stanford, Parkinson entered the 2020 season with an opportunity to showcase his skills and become a trusted member of the offense. However, he broke his foot in June 2020 and underwent surgery. Parkinson started training camp on the Non-Football Injury list.
The rookie proceeded to miss the first eight games of the season while Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, and Jacob Hollister served as the primary tight ends. Though quarterback Russell Wilson primarily focused on his wide receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf when he needed to move the ball down the field.
Once healthy, Parkinson returned to the lineup and appeared in six of the remaining games for the Seahawks. He caught two passes for a total of 16 yards on two targets. Now he will attempt to make another comeback after suffering a foot injury that will keep him out of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
The Seahawks Have 3 Primary Options at Tight End
Losing Parkinson is a blow to the offense, but the Seahawks still have some big bodies that will find success in Shane Waldron’s system. Former Rams tight end Gerald Everett is the top name in the group after signing with the Seahawks in the offense. He has familiarity with Waldron’s system and will use this to his advantage early in the season.
By comparison, Dissly will be the second name to watch amid Parkinson’s absence. The fourth-year tight end has tallied 55 catches for 669 yards and eight touchdowns during his pro career while serving as a trusted option for Wilson and fighting through injuries. The offensive system will be different, but Dissly will continue to receive targets early and often.
One intriguing name entering the first preseason game of the year will be Cam Sutton. The Seahawks signed the former undrafted free agent out of Fresno State in late May. The 6-foot-6 tight end spent two seasons at Fresno State, tallying nine catches for 149 yards. According to the “Tacoma News Tribune,” Sutton has impressed during training camp while using his size to bring in passes from backup quarterback Geno Smith.
READ NEXT: Seahawks Teammates ‘Not Happy’ With Russell Wilson: Report