Player Signing Report: Patriots Acquire DeVante Parker from Dolphins

[BUSTAMOVE]

Nice move

 

[captain stone]

I thinks it be “finally. But forget that…more importantly…how are you? We are very much interested in seeing you perform like previous seasons. You are a fracking maestro with the wacky player names. They always give me a chuckle. So the team here wants to see this type of work from you in the future.

I'm already thinking up a couple for Parker if he continues his history of not playing full seasons (except for his Contract Year hmmm...)

 

[captain stone]

This is a young people term I actually know!

Think of it like this - “gonna” is a shorthand for “going to”, and in the same sense, “finna” is a shorthand for “fixing to”. It means essentially the same thing.

Makes perfect sense now within the context of the message... Kinda like when we lived in Texas and mominems was short for my mother and her friends...

 

[VJCPatriot]

The best part about this trade... that 3rd rounder isn't until next year's draft!

I also have a lot more confidence in BB who trades for veteran WRs over BB who evaluates new WRs to draft.

It's a win-win move and Parker is even signed for reasonable money next season as well.

Mac Jones gets a legit WR. This may go down as one of those steal moves that BB makes ala Wes Welker! Pretty STOKED about this move TBH.

Let's GO!!!

 

[Jim Beankie]

Separation numbers for this guy have been atrocious:

2.3yds
2.3
2.5
2.1 (2019)
1.7
1.7

I don't know how anyone would think this guy is close to a #1. Sure he had that one good year. Catch% over 60% (61 and 64) for 2 out of his 7 years. Injury history is insanely long.

All that being said, Ja'marr's separation last year was 2.3yds, so like with so many stats, one has to look at the bigger picture. Hopefully, he's not like the last guy we got in a trade from Miami (Isaiah Ford) who did nothing for us. Based on how excited everyone seems to be about this trade, I'll ride the wave and be optimistic.

 

[TBR]

Yup. Let's look at the last few years a bit deeper

Rams: C. Kupp, O. Beckham
Bengals: J. Chase
Bucs: Evans, Godwin, Brown
Packers: D. Adams
Chiefs: Kelce, Hill
49ers: D. Samuel, Kettle
Bills: Diggs

Pretty plain to see that the teams that are contending have all pro/pro bowl level weapons.

Don't forget Higgins on the Bengals is very very good.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Separation numbers for this guy have been atrocious:

2.3yds
2.3
2.5
2.1 (2019)
1.7
1.7

I don't know how anyone would think this guy is close to a #1. Sure he had that one good year. Catch% over 60% (61 and 64) for 2 out of his 7 years. Injury history is insanely long.

All that being said, Ja'marr's separation last year was 2.3yds, so like with so many stats, one has to look at the bigger picture. Hopefully, he's not like the last guy we got in a trade from Miami (Isaiah Ford) who did nothing for us. Based on how excited everyone seems to be about this trade, I'll ride the wave and be optimistic.

Yea I'm expecting about 700 / 7 TD if healthy. Not a 1200/12 guy but that's ok. His skill set is basically what we wanted from Harry. If he blocks, gives us the #'s above I'll be happy.

We definitely could use an upgrade still but he's a decent add imo.

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

So was this Belichick's secret plan?

 

[StrawHatPatriot]

Separation numbers for this guy have been atrocious:

2.3yds
2.3
2.5
2.1 (2019)
1.7
1.7

I don't know how anyone would think this guy is close to a #1. Sure he had that one good year. Catch% over 60% (61 and 64) for 2 out of his 7 years. Injury history is insanely long.

All that being said, Ja'marr's separation last year was 2.3yds, so like with so many stats, one has to look at the bigger picture. Hopefully, he's not like the last guy we got in a trade from Miami (Isaiah Ford) who did nothing for us. Based on how excited everyone seems to be about this trade, I'll ride the wave and be optimistic.

Bringing up Jamar's separation also highlights the QB issue: Burrow had impeccable timing, ball placement, and aggressiveness on those jump balls to Chase.

Mac had plays last year where he was quick to check it down when guys were open downfield.

Hopefully he'll improve in that, because that's key for utilizing receivers like Parker.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Yea I'm expecting about 700 / 7 TD if healthy. Not a 1200/12 guy but that's ok. His skill set is basically what we wanted from Harry. If he blocks, gives us the #'s above I'll be happy.

We definitely could use an upgrade still but he's a decent add imo.

LOL. If he has Harry's skillset then this is gonna go down as BB's worst trade since Sanu.

Let's hope for a little bit better production from Devante Parker.

A 2015 scouting report gave his pro comp as Keenan Allen. I'd be pretty happy if he could even reach 85% of Keenan Allen!

 

[Username]

I remember in 2020 when Flores fired Chad O’Shea because he was trying to run a Patriots style EP offense in 2019 and it was “too hard” for the players. I also remember that the one receiver who had a ton of production despite that fact that year was DeVante Parker (1200+ yards).

True, but most of that was down to very unPatriot style plays, Fitzpatrick throwing jump balls down the sidelines. We won't be doing that.

 

[maust]

This is a young people term I actually know!

 

[Ivan]

I don’t particularly care about having a receiver who can “take the top off the defense". I want an offense that wins consistently. Too often depending on "taking the top off the defense" is a boom or bust all or nothing proposition. It’s like a home run hitter that either goes deep or strikes out. You win more games with small ball, marching down the field with consistency that doesn’t stop in the red zone. Problem with that guy who takes the top off is when the field is compressed in the red zone so there’s no top to take off and the skill set to get open in tight congested space isn’t the same. That’s why I like a multi-faceted receiver corps that can march down the field using the same skill set that wins in the red zone.

I‘m not entirely sure the running game will be “heart and soul of our offense” as much in the coming season. Letting Jakob go makes me think maybe things will be opened up a little more for Mac, using the ability to run or pass from the same sets with the same personnel to create those dynamic problems like you suggested.

I don’t like building the team around the proposition that the opponents go up by two or more scores. To me that’s basing your planning in presumption of failure. Better to prioritize avoiding having them do that. So before I want one more high end WR I’d prefer to see a high end CB addition. Not that I wouldn’t like another high end WR, just not a compelling priority now.

The other thing is that there are different approaches to putting up touchdowns quickly. As I said in my comments above responding to Ken, counting on a home run is a boom or bust strategy. It’s too easy to stop when the opponents know it’s all you’re going to do. To me it seems a better way to look at putting points on the board quickly is the way a two minute drill does it, and that’s not planning around depending on the home run ball. Sure, nice to have, as a luxury, but icing on the cake not the main course.

One last thing, what good is a WR with burner speed to get open forty yards downfield if the OL can’t keep the QB clean long enough for that WR to separate? To me improving the OL is more of a priority than getting the WR who can “take the top off the defense" because the OL benefits that guy plus so much more.

The purpose of having WR’s who “ take the top off a defense” isn’t so much throwing home run balls all day, it’s forcing defenses to defend every part of the field, and what that opens up for the entire offense. The same goes for having WR’s who make plays outside the hashmarks, it forces defenses to play the width of the field. The Patriots offense lacked both abilities last season and it made life easy for opposing defenses snd their coordinators, especially down the homestretch, as it became obvious the Patriots couldn’t threaten deep or wide. And while no one wants to have to play from behind it’s still an ability you have to have as a team, especially in today’s NFL, where a lead isn’t safe for 20 seconds.

If the Patriots can add a really good WR to go with Parker then it pushes Agholor and Bourne down the depth chart, and gives them much better matchups. Having them go up against the 3rd and 4th best DB’s on opposing defenses will be much more advantageous than having them face the #1and # 2 DB’s was last season. Buffalo demonstrated this against the Patriots when Gabriel Davis and Mackenzie ate them up because they were facing the Patriots weaker DB’s.

 

[Toofy]

The purpose of having WR’s who “ take the top off a defense” isn’t so much throwing home run balls all day, it’s forcing defenses to defend every part of the field, and what that opens up for the entire offense. The same goes for having WR’s who make plays outside the hashmarks, it forces defenses to play the width of the field. The Patriots offense lacked both abilities last season and it made life easy for opposing defenses snd their coordinators, especially down the homestretch, as it became obvious the Patriots couldn’t threaten deep or wide. And while no one wants to have to play from behind it’s still an ability you have to have as a team, especially in today’s NFL, where a lead isn’t safe for 20 seconds.

If the Patriots can add a really good WR to go with Parker then it pushes Agholor and Bourne down the depth chart, and gives them much better matchups. Having them go up against the 3rd and 4th best DB’s on opposing defenses will be much more advantageous than having them face the #1and # 2 DB’s was last season. Buffalo demonstrated this against the Patriots when Gabriel Davis and Mackenzie ate them up because they were facing the Patriots weaker DB’s.

i predict a breakout season for bourne and agholor. meyers could become like clutch amendola/ prime time hogan , the key 3rd down guy. no big numbers but pretty effective. Meyers would no longer be WR 1 this year.

as a sum of parts, i get a feeling this offense would be pretty good. Jonnu is attending optional OTAs . so we should see some progressions from him. if we get 500-600 yards and 5-6 TDs from parker thats money well spent.

 

[PatsFan2]

True, but most of that was down to very unPatriot style plays, Fitzpatrick throwing jump balls down the sidelines. We won't be doing that.

Oh really we won't be doing that?? Maybe it was because we didn't have a guy like Parker who catch those balls. A lot is going to depend on Mac and his ball placement.

 

[Username]

Oh really we won't be doing that?? Maybe it was because we didn't have a guy like Parker who catch those balls. A lot is going to depend on Mac and his ball placement.

When was the last time we regularly threw jump balls to covered WR's?

You could argue prime Gronk, Moss was nearly always open...

 

[SHOWTIME15]

When was the last time we regularly threw jump balls to covered WR's?

You could argue prime Gronk, Moss was nearly always open...

Oh really we won't be doing that?? Maybe it was because we didn't have a guy like Parker who catch those balls. A lot is going to depend on Mac and his ball placement.

Parker is not a jump ball guy, it seems. More like a possession receiver that will move the chains...

 

[Ivan]

Not a bad move. But I don't know how much better it will make us.

Parker is one of those Dez Bryant receivers - gets big jump catches. But not much in the way of separation and route running.

You need a gunslinger with balls or precision deep thrower for that to work. (Think Stafford, Romo)

How will that work with Mac? Mac jones is more conservative with the ball. I'm not sure how productive Parker will be.

Plus, injury issues.

There's a reason why Miami traded him within the division.

Are we keeping Harry, Algholor?

Jones is no more conservative than Brady was, if he sees the opportunity he will deliver it, the receivers just need to be able to give him it.

 

[Rob0729]

Separation numbers for this guy have been atrocious:

2.3yds
2.3
2.5
2.1 (2019)
1.7
1.7

I don't know how anyone would think this guy is close to a #1. Sure he had that one good year. Catch% over 60% (61 and 64) for 2 out of his 7 years. Injury history is insanely long.

All that being said, Ja'marr's separation last year was 2.3yds, so like with so many stats, one has to look at the bigger picture. Hopefully, he's not like the last guy we got in a trade from Miami (Isaiah Ford) who did nothing for us. Based on how excited everyone seems to be about this trade, I'll ride the wave and be optimistic.

Have you ever looked at Julian Edelman's separation stats? I don't think Edelman ever had 2 yards average separation in his career. That is what we need to look at. Parker is a different receiver than Edelman, but Parker will be used far closer to him than some of the receivers with great separation stats. Parker is not a deep threat WR and is more of possession WR and possession WRs don't have great separation stats because they shorter routes where there isn't enough time to get a lot of separation.

People get way too hung up on things like #1 WR and separation. The Pats' offense doesn't typically have nor need a traditional #1 WR. And you can be open without separation. And if you have one yard of separation on a quick slant, that is the equivalent of have 2-3 yards of separation on a deep pass.

I am not expecting Parker to be a 1,200 yard receiver this year, but people are judging this guy based on what they want for this offense and not what he is and how the Patriots are likely to use him. Having a #1 difference making WR is awesome to have, but the Pats' offense is built to thrive with quantity of good #2 and #3 WRs without a true #1.

This and other teams have thrived with a possession receiver as their "#1 WR". Edelman. Troy Brown. The Ravens did it with Anquan Boldin. And you also had Brandon Marshall, Reggie Wayne, and Jordy Nelson. None of these guys were blazers down the field with great separation. I'm not putting Parker in the same league as these guys, but he can be effective without a lot separation like these guys were.

 

[Triumph]

The Pats now have a collection of 3 - 1st round WRs from the 2015 draft.

Round 1
3rd WR - D. Parker pick # 15
4th WR - N. Agahlor pick # 20
6th WR - P. Dorsett pick # 29
Round 3
10th WR - K. Lockett pick # 69
14th WR - T. Montgomery # 94th
Round 5
20th WR -S. Diggs pick # 146
6th round
29th WR - D. Waller pick # 204

Hope this works out OK, but there are too many IFs. IF Parker can stay on the field and IF Parker can catch the ball. While he rarely fumbles, his catch rate is nothing to write home about. A mid 50% catch rate wont cut it when the Pats are looking for at least 66%.

I see Parker as another pawn added to the rest of the pawns. You can win with pawns, but I was hoping for a more powerful piece like the queen who would strike fear in an opponent.