The Patriots have made their first splash of the offseason by acquiring former Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, according to multiple reports.
New England will send a 2023 third-round pick to their division rivals for Parker and a 2022 fifth-round pick, a source confirms to CLNS Media. Although it’s rare to see an in-division trade, this is the fifth deal between the Dolphins and Patriots in the Bill Belichick era.
The move ends New England’s quest to add an outside receiver this offseason, which was at the forefront of their plans with exploratory pursuits of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Odell Beckham Jr., among others. The Pats wanted an outside-the-numbers threat and got it here.
At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, the 2015 first-round pick uses good speed and explosiveness off the line of scrimmage to set up downfield wins. On 146 contested targets in his career, Parker has come down with 51.4%, which ranks in the top half of the league since 2015.
New England’s familiarity with Parker’s ability to be a matchup problem certainly weighed heavily in this trade. All Patriots fans can remember his eight catches for 137 yards against Stephon Gilmore in Miami’s upset over the Pats in the 2019 regular-season finale.
The 29-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his career, with his 1,200-yard season in 2019 as the lone campaign where he played every Dolphins game.
However, with a reasonable $6.04 million cap hit (via @PatsCap) for the Patriots in the 2022 season, Parker is under contract through the 2023 season and has immediate-impact upside as an X receiver.
The gamble is worth the trade and cash compensation for Parker, especially considering that New England will net a 2023 third-round compensatory pick after J.C. Jackson’s departure.
Stay tuned for a more in-depth film breakdown on what DeVante Parker brings to the Patriots, and you can also find more reactions to the Parker trade on Patriots Press Pass.
