Rams trade idea sends 8-TD tight end to Panthers in move that'd be a mistake

The Los Angeles Rams are about as all-in as a team could get. Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie are huge moves, and the Rams have one of the best rosters in the league.

If all goes well, there might not be another team that can compare. That's how good the Rams can be in 2026. So, with a team in such a spot, it would be a little shocking if they started trading away players from their roster who actually matter.

That's the kind of trade idea Moe Moton of Bleacher Report proposed with the Carolina Panthers, as the Rams in this idea would trade 8-TD tight end Colby Parkinson in exchange for a mid-round pick. Simply put, this trade idea would be a mistake.

Rams' trade idea with Colby Parkinson would be a mistake

"Carolina Panthers: Trade a mid-round 2027 pick for Los Angeles Rams TE Colby Parkinson," Moton proposed.

This idea might work if the Rams were a mid-tier team, but they're the top Super Bowl contender and need to keep all of their best players, even if they might be a little redundant.

Now isn't the time to try to develop rookies or shed payroll. The Rams are all-in for the 2026 season, and Parkinson is key to the team finding success.

Moton is proposing this trade idea due to the Rams' tight end depth chart. Behind Parkinson, the Rams could turn to Terrance Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Davis Allen, and rookie Max Klare.

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This is a fantastic depth chart, and one that might be a little too stacked. But, for the Rams, a Super Bowl favorite, to trade away someone like Parkinson, who proved his worth last season, would be a mistake.

He had 408 receiving yards on 43 receptions, scoring eight touchdowns in the Rams' offense last season. In the playoffs, Parkinson then caught eight of his 15 targets for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Parkinson is a key part of this offense, and while they could justify trading him to rely on Higbee, Ferguson, Allen, and Klare, this move would be way too risky.

The Rams, a team likely to utilize multiple tight-end sets in 2026, trading their best tight end, who thrived last year, wouldn't make sense. This trade idea from Moton would be a mistake for the Rams, and Parkinson should not go anywhere anytime soon.

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