Denver Broncos tight end Brian Parker is being thrust into a more prominent role after serving as a backup blocker the first 11 games of 2018.
The Denver Broncos need a jolt at the tight end position, and Brian Parker is going to be an important piece of the puzzle.
When the Broncos initially acquired Parker, it was nothing out of the ordinary as far as general operations go. The team usually has a tight end on the practice squad or in a very deep backup position who can block pretty well, and who has ideal size for an NFL tight end.
This doesn’t always mean that player is going to come in and play a Rob Gronkowski role for a team, though seeing a 6-foot-5, 265-pound player who can catch passes and run routes is always impressive.
Parker was unheralded coming out of high school, receiving only two scholarship offers and apparently choosing Albany for two reasons, the first of which we already mentioned. The second reason he chose Albany was that it was a ‘higher level of competition’ than the other offer he received.
Think about that for a moment.
Even though Albany isn’t going to be beating Alabama anytime soon, the experience Parker had there has very likely paved the way for the role he now has with the Denver Broncos in the NFL.
When he was at Albany, the coaching staff decided to move Parker to the offensive tackle position, where he honed his skills as a blocker before ultimately (and permanently) being moved back to the tight end position.
In high school, Parker was a receiver, defensive end, cornerback — whatever his team needed. That athletic background and a crazy variety of positional usage along with the injuries the Broncos have suffered at tight end make Parker the team’s most important blocker at that particular position.
The Broncos are one of the league’s best running teams, and make no mistake about it — Jeff Heuerman was a major reason why. Heuerman is a very good blocker and has been since his college days at Ohio State, paving the way for guys like Ezekiel Elliott.
Without Heuerman in the lineup, the Broncos are going to obviously turn to Matt LaCosse in the passing game but Parker is the next man up when it comes to creating holes for Phillip Lindsay, Royce Freeman, and the Broncos’ running game out on the perimeter.
Bill Musgrave said between Parker and LaCosse, Parker is ‘more physical’. That doesn’t mean he can’t — or won’t — do anything in the passing game.
Case Keenum has gotten tight ends very involved this season and will continue to do so no matter the personnel.
The Broncos may not need to rely as much on LaCosse and Parker but they will be able to get them favorable matchups with the abilities of Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, Phillip Lindsay, etc. But that doesn’t mean the coaching staff is going to completely ignore the tight ends. Those guys will get their targets.
For Parker, however, it’s all about the running game. If he can pick up where Heuerman left off there, the Broncos are going to be in great shape down the stretch. Since blocking and physicality is Parker’s specialty, the team should be confident he will make the impact he’s capable of.