Who Should I Start? Drew Sample or Colby Parkinson

Monday, March 11, 4:49 PM

The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Drew Sample to a three-year, $10.5 million contract extension on Monday, according to a source. Sample will receive $3.5 million in 2024. In his fifth year with the Bengals in 2023, Sample had 22 catches on 27 targets for 163 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in 17 games (10 starts). Tanner Hudson, Mitchell Wilcox and Irv Smith Jr. are all free agents, but one or more of them could be retained or the Bengals could add competition at the position through the NFL draft. The 27-year-old Sample has accumulated just 80 receptions (103 targets) for 621 yards and three touchdowns in his five years in the NFL with Cincy, so it would be unrealistic to expect the Bengals to utilize him as their unquestioned No. 1 pass-catching TE in 2024.

Monday, March 11, 4:39 PM

Seattle Seahawks free-agent tight end Colby Parkinson intends to sign a three-year, $22.5 million deal that includes $15.5 million guaranteed with the Los Angeles Rams, according to sources. Before playing at Stanford, Parkinson attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, Calif., which is right down the road from the Rams' training complex. Parkinson, the former fourth-round pick of the Seahawks in 2020, will stay in the NFC West and will get a shot to serve as the team's top pass-catching tight end, at least to start the 2024 season. It's unlikely that Tyler Higbee (knee) will be ready to go for the start of the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the playoffs. In Seattle, the 25-year-old Parkinson never had more than 322 receiving yards or two touchdowns in a single season, so fantasy managers shouldn't suddenly expect him to become a TE1 in LA with Higbee sidelined.