Another blockbuster trade rocked the NFL world on Wednesday. The Kansas City Chiefs traded All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. The return was five draft picks, including two early-round picks. The Dolphins also handed Hill a hefty contract extension to make him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL.
The trade put Miami’s offense in a fantastic position. They added Hill to a receiver room that had rookie sensation Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson. The team also bolstered the offensive line with the signing of left tackle Terron Armstead. Add all this to a solid running back room and a top tight end with Mike Gesicki, and the result is an offense that (on paper) looks to do some serious damage.
There is one player, however, that may just be an odd man out at receiver: DeVante Parker.
Read More: How DeVante Parker Fits With Patriots
DeVante Parker Will Be Odd Man Out for Miami Dolphins
DeVante Parker Still Has the Goods
Parker is 29 years old, making him one of the oldest players on an otherwise young roster in Miami. In fact, the average age of the entire roster is 25 years old. The team has made a concentrated effort to add talent but remain young. Doing so in the current AFC East division gives them the best chance at overthrowing the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots.
That being said, Parker has come into his own in recent years. After a few disappointing years to begin his career, Parker posted career highs in receptions (72), yards (1,202), and touchdowns (9) in 2019. Before that, he had back-to-back seasons with only one touchdown and a combined total of only 979 yards over those two seasons. The team rewarded him with a contract extension worth $40 million.
Parker boasts a unique skill set in the current Miami offense. The team has chosen to focus on attacking defenses with a group of speedsters. The Tyreek Hill trade only cements that idea. Drafting Jaylen Waddle and putting together a running back room of Raheem Mostert, Myles Gaskin, and Chase Edmonds is another shining example. While Parker is not as fast as his fellow players, he is bigger. At 6’3, his size and catch radius allow him to make contested catches that other receivers on the roster cannot make, especially in the red zone.
Impact on Dolphins Cap Space
We have seen an enormous effort from NFL teams this offseason working around their sap space. After the Tyreek Hill trade and extension, the Dolphins could clear some cap space by trading Parker. He is owed $5.6 million and $5.7 million over the next two years of his deal. In an offense where Parker will be getting far fewer looks and will not see the field as much, that is a little too much to pay. As of right now, he would be the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart.
Factor in his bonuses and incentives, and Parker’s cap hits become even bigger. The aforementioned $5.6 million and $5.7 million would become $8.7 million and $9 million over the next two years if he reaches his incentives. Should the team decide to move him, they can assign the new cap space to other positions of need, such as fixing the offensive line and adding depth.
Possible Landing Spots
There is no shortage of teams that need help at the receiver position right now. Parker would be a solid addition to any team, adding a reliable target to a quarterback’s arsenal.
The Green Bay Packers are in desperate need of wide receiver help. They were in need of it even before trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. While Parker may not be the true number one that they need, he would immediately give Aaron Rodgers a dangerous red-zone threat. He would also be a fantastic veteran addition to a young room of receivers. They will most likely draft a receiver with one of their first-round picks. Parker could be a great mentor for the guy they draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs are now in a similar situation to the Packers. Their current receiving room is led by JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman. Neither of them can be a true number one, so the Chiefs will most certainly be taking a receiver in round one as well. Parker would have a similar impact on the Chiefs as he would on the Packers. Would the Dolphins trade a receiver to the team they just got one from? Maybe not. However, the Chiefs would be missing an opportunity to add a solid receiver if they choose not to at least inquire about Parker.
The Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears are in similar situations: both have low-talent rosters with a need to upgrade at multiple positions on both sides of the ball. Parker would become the number one receiver in 2022 for either squad. It would benefit both to give Miami a call and offer a late-round pick for Parker.
DeVante Parker is the Odd Man Out
Overall, a trade would be mutually beneficial for the Miami Dolphins and DeVante Parker. The Dolphins would free up some cap space and add another pick to continue building a solid young squad. Parker would get far more opportunities on the field elsewhere.
This is why Parker will, ultimately, be the odd man out.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
