Tis the season for Panthers rumors, and one prominent NFL writer believes the reigning NFC South champions could try to solidify one of the biggest weaknesses on the roster. After a dismal start to the 2025 campaign, Carolina bounced back and finished the season with an 8-9 record, which was good enough to host a playoff game. While they ultimately fell in the Wild Card round, they put up a great fight against the Los Angeles Rams and MVP Matthew Stafford.
Now, the Carolina Panthers could turn to that very same team to help them improve in 2026. In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton suggested that the Panthers trade a mid 2027 draft pick to the Rams for tight end Colby Parkinson.
“The Panthers don’t have a high-end playmaker at tight end,” Moton writes. “Ja’Tavion Sanders and Tommy Tremble are both mediocre at best in the passing game. In order to aid quarterback Bryce Young’s development, Carolina can target a pass-catching tight end on the trade market.”
Panthers Rumors: Carolina Connected To Rams TE Colby Parkinson
Some Panthers rumors are more serious than others, but it’s easy to see why the Panthers could pursue Colby Parkinson. The team has yet to find a proper heir to Greg Olsen, and while Parkinson isn’t on Olsen’s level, he’d easily be the best tight end on this roster. Selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Stanford product is far from a Hall of Famer but has proven to be a threat as a receiver and as an in-line blocker. Appearing in 15 games for the Rams last year, the tight end finished the season with 43 receptions for 408 yards, eight touchdowns, and a 75.4 PFF grade, the 12th-best mark in the league.
As Moton mentions above, Carolina’s current group of tight ends leaves something to be desired. Sanders and Tremble shouldn’t be anything more than role players, while Parkinson is good enough to be an above-average starter, although probably not a superstar. Quarterback Bryce Young has improved dramatically over the years, but he’s still not an elite quarterback who can succeed regardless of his environment. Carolina has done a remarkable job of surrounding him with reliable wide receivers and a dependable offensive line, but now they must do something to address the tight end position. Colby Parkinson is a good fit for this team, but would the Rams agree to a trade?
Will The Rams Sign Off?
Of course, this set of Panthers rumors won’t come to fruition unless the Rams agree to the trade. Colby Parkinson is a good player, and the Rams are in win-now mode following the Myles Garrett trade and the potential return of superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Normally, a team like this would never consider trading a starting-caliber tight end for a future draft pick, but Los Angeles is in something of a unique situation.
Parkinson is a good tight end, but the Rams are loaded with talent at the position. Veteran Tyler Higbee is still around, and guys like Terrance Ferguson and Davis Allen are more than capable of handling snaps. Adding to this is second-round pick Max Klare, who will likely battle for playing time right out of the gate.
All of this is to say that the Rams might have too many cooks in the kitchen. While they’d never cut Colby Parkinson, they should at least consider a trade if the Panthers are willing to offer a fourth-round pick or better. The deal would make plenty of sense for both sides and could help Carolina defend their title as NFC South champions.
Main Photo: Kevin Ng – Imagn images
