Rams' most overpaid player is their $9.1 million TE highlighting GM masterclass

The Los Angeles Rams are coming off a disappointing 2025 season, from the standpoint that, had the beat the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship, they likely would've won the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots.

Fortunately, Matthew Stafford is returning, and the Rams are able to go all-in in 2026. With a team going all-in for the short-term, it might seem reasonable to expect there to be major overpaid players on the roster.

However, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report couldn't find a clear overpay. The most-overpaid player on the Rams roster is their $9.1 million cap-hit tight end, Colby Parkinson.

Colby Parkinson named most overpaid Rams player

"Honestly, kudos to the Rams front office because this was the toughest one we had to tackle," Gagnon writes. "... We had to reach massively for Parkinson, who will carry a high-ish $9.1 million cap hit in 2026 as a guy who has never caught 50 passes or hit 500 yards in a season."

The Rams might be spending a good amount on Parkinson, one of their three starting-caliber tight ends, which could be considered too much for such a player, but it's barely anything in the grand scheme of things.

Parkinson showed up last season and had some key catches and plays during the Rams' playoff run. He was a good receiver for Stafford, and someone who, while $9.1 million might be too rich, was certainly worth keeping on the roster.

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It's too soon to turn to Trent McDuffie or Jaylen Watson as overpays, especially considering how badly the Rams needed help in the secondary.

Similarly, for Quentin Lake and Kamren Curl, the Rams' big deals for both safeties might be a bit much for some teams, but for the Rams, it makes a lot of sense.

Gagnon struggling to find an "overpaid" player on the roster highlights just how good a job Les Snead has done for Los Angeles over the years.

The Rams aren't just set up to compete in 2026, but their contracts and well-balanced books allow them to continue building a contender even once Stafford retires.

Parkinson might be "overpaid" by traditional standards, but even that is only a $9.1 million cap hit with over $300 million cap space at the Rams' disposal. It's a perfectly fine deal, and it's really only called an overpay to attribute the label to one player on the team.

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