As opposed to listening to what McVay says, you should actually watch what he does during games. He can talk all he wants about a player, or different schemes, but when game time comes, we stay in 11 formation far more than any other team in the NFL. That's been history, and as I mentioned previously, it's possible that 12 formation will be used more now that Kupp is gone, but regardless of what McVay has said in the past, we use 11 more than any other team.
About Parkinson specifically, Higbee missed 9 games last year and still Parkinson only had 45 targets for the season. He's got some great measurables, and I can't point to anything he did glaringly bad last year. But the reality is that he was rarely targeted, and his playing time decreased as the season progressed.
You asked how closely I follow the Rams..... I've followed this team pretty intently for going on 50 years now. Paying attention to what McVay says, then analyzing what he actually does gives one a more accurate summation of what is going on here. McVay's adherence to the 11 formation was understandable, but he went waaaaay too far with it. Beyond the obvious downside of that, the predictability, the other issue is that we've had talented depth on the roster at the position that wasn't being consistently utilized, plus TEs with talent didn't develop into the players they could have been. Guys like Everett, Blanton, even Hopkins all had shining moments...Blanton and Hopkins helped us win a super bowl. But again, rarely used...rarely targeted....then they're gone. Now...in that same tradition, we overpay for a talented TE..... he starts 9 games, plays all 17, and gets 45 targets.
Forget what McVay is saying....look at what he's doing....the pattern is clear, and until he deviates, that's the reality.
Back to my original point.... if Parkinson stays on the team..that's fine... he's a better blocker than Ferguson and Davis Allen right now....but he's back to being the 3rd TE on the depth chart, just like he was in Seattle.... and if he stays, his contract needs to correspond with his role and usage.