With the influx of talent into the Miami Dolphins receiver room last offseason, the team opted to send DeVante Parker, along with a fifth-round pick, to the New England Patriots for a third-round selection.
While Parker’s numbers in 2022 jumped slightly from 2021 (40 receptions for 515 yards and two touchdowns), his production still wasn’t great, recording 531 yards and three scores on 31 receptions. However, that could be explained by New England’s offense being run by two coaches with little offensive experience in Matt Patricia and Bill O’Brien.
However, the Patriots have apparently seen enough out of Parker to make a long-term commitment to him, as the player and team agreed to a three-year extension on Thursday that could pay him up to $33 million with $14 million in guaranteed, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Last offseason, the Dolphins signed Cedrick Wilson Jr., Trent Sherfield, and River Cracraft before trading for Tyreek Hill, one of the league’s top wideouts.
The quartet of new weapons joined a room that already featured Jaylen Waddle entering his second season and Parker, who had essentially been Miami’s top option since Jarvis Landry was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2018.
This gave Miami that flexibility to move on from Parker, and his presence wasn’t really missed due to the impressive performances of Hill and Waddle, who formed the NFL’s best receiving duo in 2023.