Los Angeles Rams sign tight end Colby Parkinson and guard Jonah Jackson; re-sign Darious Williams
The Los Angeles Rams have agreed to contract terms with tight end Colby Parkinson and guard Jonah Jackson, according to CBS Sports.
Parkinson got a three-year, $22.5 million contract to leave Seattle, according to his representatives at Wasserman NFL. Jackson will leave Detroit to sign a three-year contract potentially worth $51 million with $34 million guaranteed.
Parkinson spent his first four NFL seasons with the Seahawks, catching 57 passes for 618 yards and four touchdowns. The Bay Area native played at Stanford before Seattle made him a fourth-round selection in 2020.
He joins a tight end group headed by Tyler Higbee, who agreed last September to a two-year, $27 million contract extension through 2025. Higbee is an eight-year Rams veteran who has been slowed by injuries in recent years, and Los Angeles didn't have a standout alternative at tight end last season.
Jackson started 57 games over his first four NFL seasons with the Lions, most recently playing left guard. The former third-round pick made the Pro Bowl after the 2021 season.
The Rams' starting guards last season were rookie left guard Steve Avila and right guard Kevin Dotson, who agreed last week to a three-year, $48 million deal to return to Los Angeles. Jackson's arrival could signal the Rams plan to move Avila to center, where he played in college at TCU before moving to guard.
Coleman Shelton, the Rams' starting center last season, is a free agent.
The Rams have dramatically improved the middle of their offensive line since it struggled throughout the 2022 season, when Los Angeles went 5-12 a year after winning the Super Bowl.
Darious Williams Re-Signs
Cornerback Darious Williams is returning to the Los Angeles Rams after two seasons in Jacksonville,
Williams has agreed to terms on a three-year deal for $22.5 million, potentially worth up to $30 million, according to CBS Sports.
Williams won a Super Bowl ring to cap his four seasons with the Rams from 2018-21. The undrafted 5-foot-9 defensive back played his way into a major role with Los Angeles, culminating in two years as a solid starting cornerback opposite Jalen Ramsey in the Rams' secondary.
Williams turned his success into a $30 million payday from the Jaguars, who released him on March 5 with one year left on his contract ahead of their move to a different defensive scheme. Williams, who had 53 tackles and four interceptions during a strong 2023 season, started 30 games in two seasons with Jacksonville.
Williams, who turns 31 on Friday, will bolster a Los Angeles secondary that was the defense's weakest point last season.
Late-round drafted cornerbacks Derion Kendrick and Cobie Durant haven't been impressive in the Rams' attempts to restock their secondary from within. Veteran Ahkello Witherspoon, a late-summer signer who ended up starting all 17 games, is a free agent.
Williams is apparently a good fit for the scheme that will be used by new Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. While undersized, Williams excelled in almost any assignment during his two seasons as a starter for the Rams, highlighted by six interceptions during his tenure.
