While the New England Patriots sat down twiddling their thumbs, the rival Miami Dolphins made one of the most seismic moves of the offseason when they traded for former Chiefs superstar Tyreek Hill. The acquisition of Hill put receivers like DeVante Parker on edge.
Parker's name has been mentioned in trade rumors lately, as the idea of him being the third option behind Hill and Jaylen Waddell probably didn't appeal to him. Even with some iffy performances last year, teams like New England had a great deal of interest in a tall-capped receiver like Parker.
While Bill Belichick might have liked Parker, he wasn't going to get it if he wanted to get away with any premium New England picks. After some bargaining between Belichick and Chris Grier, it seems the two bitter division rivals have agreed a swap that sends Parker to Foxborough.
The Patriots acquired Parker and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft in exchange for a third-round pick in 2023. After missing some of the biggest free agent names out there, New Englanders eventually made an impact when they traded for Parker.
Patriots acquiring WR DeVante Parker and a 2022 fifth-round pick from Dolphins in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick, per @AdamSchefter.
Patriots expecting an extra 2023 third-round pick (compensatory) after losing J.C. Jackson.
Parker has two years remaining on contract.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 2, 2022
New England Patriots traded for DeVante Parker.
After being selected 14th overall in the 2015 draft from Louisville, Parker appeared destined for bust territory after a very poor start. When Brian Flores and former Pats assistant Chad O'Shea arrived in Miami in 2019, Parker exploded, giving the AFC 1,202 yards.
Parker, who has recorded 24 touchdowns in his seven-year career, is still on track to earn about $5.7 million in basic pay in each of the next two seasons. While he only recorded 515 yards last year due to injuries, he profiles under Belichick in New England as a strong bounce-back candidate.
Devante Parker's remaining contract:2022: $5.65M base salary, $500K in per-game roster bonuses2023: $5.7M base salary, $500K in per-game roster bonusesParker brings size and experience to the New England WR room.— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 2, 2022
The WR1 from Kendrick Bourne is more than likely going to take Parker to the throne. With Parker and Bourne out, recently-created Jacobi Meyers is potentially getting more time in the slot, and a draft pick adds more youth to that room, New England's receiver room than a week ago. is very deep.
The Patriots eventually found the support Mac Jones needed, as 6-3 Parker should be a reliable red-zone target and field stretcher. Although the move lacks the bombshell of the Hill trade, it shows that the Patriots are content to miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.