The Pittsburgh Steelers made an under-the-radar addition this offseason to bolster their tight end room.
They won't get to see the fruits of that move.
Donald Parham Jr. tore his Achilles at OTAs on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. He'll miss the entire season.
Parham was slated to be the third tight end on the depth chart behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington.
The 6-foot-8 Parham was an undrafted free agent out of Stetson in 2020.
He spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Chargers.
He has made 67 catches through those four seasons. That includes a career-high 27 grabs for 285 yards and four TDs in 2023.
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Parham spent 2024 on the Denver Broncos' practice squad and didn't appear in a game.
The Steelers may now reopen the idea of trading for a tight end, although it wouldn't have to be as big a name as Jonnu Smith to fill the role Parham was slated for.
It's still a bummer, because the 27-year old Parham was getting another chance to break through after his signing with the Broncos for last year didn't work out.
Instead, Parham will spend two years away from NFL regular season game action, and the Steelers at the very least need some more tight end depth.
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