DeVante Parker

Parker's fifth-year breakout in 2019 (71-1,202-9) was followed by a pair of mediocre seasons to close out his time in Miami, with the 6-3 wideout averaging 56.6 receiving yards in 2020 (14 games) and 51.5 in 2021 (10 games). The Dolphins then traded him to New England in April (with a 2022 fifth-round pick) for a 2023 third-round pick - compensation that suggests Parker isn't valued at much more than his $5.65 million base salary. In fact, his contract doesn't have any remaining guarantees, so there's even some danger of Parker being cut later this summer if he struggles to pick up "The Patriot Way." Assuming he sticks, Parker will face snap/target competition from Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor. It's a decent opportunity for Parker, who never once played in an above-average offense during his time in Miami, but it's hard to see him becoming a target hog in what looks like a balanced offense.

Parker had a modest encore last season after his surprising fifth-year breakout in the second half of 2019, as he missed two games while toggling between quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa. Parker’s volume was roughly the same on a per-game basis, but his efficiency dropped steeply — from 9.4 YPT in 2019 to 7.7 last year. After hauling in seven catches for 40-plus yards in 2019, he didn’t have a single one last year, and only 10 20-yard catches all season. At 6-3, 211, and with 4.45 timed speed at the 2015 combine, Parker looks the part of the No. 1 NFL wideout. At 28, he should still have the downfield speed he showed in 2019, and he’s big enough to be a factor in the red zone. (Parker had eight targets from inside the five, T-3rd). But tight end Mike Gesicki (85 targets) saw more work as last season went on, and the Dolphins then added former Texan Will Fuller and sixth overall draft pick Jaylen Waddle, two of the fastest wide receivers in the league. Bottom line, with the unproven Tagovailoa under center and many more mouths to feed in the offense, Parker’s upside is limited.

Finally, the breakout we were all waiting for. Taken with the 14th pick in the 2015 draft, Parker showed glimpses of his potential, but whether it was injuries, playing with subpar quarterbacks or dealing with the whims of coach Adam Gase, something always derailed him. With the competent enough Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm, Parker went 108-66-1,071-9 over the season's final 13 weeks, numbers that prorate to 133-81-1,318-11 over 16 games. Parker was also efficient with 16.7 YPC (9th) and 9.4 YPT (9th). He had seven catches of 40-plus yards (T-4th) and 21 catches of 20-plus (T-4th) on only 128 targets (13th). Parker was also tied for fourth with nine TDs, despite seeing only modest red-zone work and almost no targets near the goal line (three from inside the 10). He even torched the Patriots' vaunted secondary in Week 17, going 11-8-137 in a game that cost New England a first-round bye. At 6-3, 216, with 4.45 timed speed, Parker is your prototype No. 1 NFL wideout, able to beat defenses downfield and outmuscle defenders in traffic. He'll get 37-year-old Fitzpatrick back and enters the year as the team's undisputed top target with a far less fickle coaching staff, though it's only a matter of time before first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa makes starts under center. Preston Williams (torn ACL) will be back at some point, and tight end Mike Gesicki established himself down the stretch as a red-zone target, but both are likely to be complements rather than competition.

The 14th overall pick in 2015, Parker's shown flashes throughout his career but never produced with any consistency, thanks in large part to nagging injuries that have prevented him from playing a full 16-game season. That said, he's never played fewer than 11 games, so injuries don't provide a full explanation as to why he's failed to top 750 yards or score five TDs in a year. Some of the blame lies with Parker whose focus has come and gone at times, but having the notoriously fickle almost to the point of random Adam Gase at head coach didn't help. Now the Dolphins have a new offensive braintrust, bringing in two former Patriots assistants who at the very least should provide some rhyme and reason to player usage, and Parker could see regular work as a result, especially after the team signed him to a two-year, $10 million deal with $4.5 million in guarantees. At 6-3, 216, and with 4.45 speed, Parker still has the physical specs of an NFL star and should have a chance to make good on his pedigree with Gase gone and only Albert Wilson, Kenny Stills and Jakeem Grant competing with him for targets. Josh Rosen is competing with Ryan Fitzpatrick for the quarterback job, and either is likely to be an upgrade over Ryan Tannehill.

The 14th overall pick in 2015, Parker has shown flashes of his dynamic abilities, but hasn't produced except in short stretches. This season - one in which the Dolphins are without former top target Jarvis Landry - seems like it's make or break for Parker, who should be the team's No. 1 wideout. At 6-3, 212, and with 4.45 speed, Parker has the top-shelf physical tools to get down the field (four catches of 40-plus yards on 87 targets in 2016) and the size to operate in the red zone. But he scored only once on 96 targets last year and didn't have a single 40-yard catch. Part of it might have been due to a lingering ankle injury that cost him three games, and perhaps he never entirely clicked with quarterback Jay Cutler. At press time, Parker is healthy, and Ryan Tannehill, with whom he has a decent rapport, should be back under center. With Landry's 161 targets gone, Parker's main competition for market share will be speedster Kenny Stills and newly acquired Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola. In short, Parker should get a massive opportunity, but it remains to be seen if he can finally stay healthy and deliver on his first-round pedigree.

The 14th overall pick in 2015, Parker has shown flashes of brilliance, but nagging injuries, inconsistent play and the emergence of Kenny Stills as a viable deep threat have cut into his overall production. At 6-3, 212, with 4.45 40 speed, Parker is a prototypical NFL No. 1 WR, able to strike down the field or operate near the goal line. Parker had four catches of 40-plus yards on only 87 targets and managed a respectable 8.6 YPT. The Dolphins only threw to him nine times in the red zone, however. This year, Parker enters training camp with a clean bill of health, but heavily used Jarvis Landry is still around, and Stills signed a four-year deal this offseason. Even so, Parker is the most talented of the three, and in May OC Clyde Christensen praised his offseason work habits and predicted a "gigantic year" for his third-year wideout. While positive "coach-speak" should often be ignored, it's worth noting the team laid into Parker last summer when he was slowed by a hamstring injury, implying the ailment was due to a lack of conditioning, i.e., the coaches haven't exactly been in the habit of pumping Parker up. Of course, for Parker to have a big season, he'll need competent quarterback play from Jay Cutler, who struggled in five games for Chicago last season.

Last year's 14th overall pick started slowly after foot surgery in June, but he finished the year strong with at least 80 yards in four of the season's final six games. At 6-foot-3, 209 pounds with 4.45 40 speed, Parker's a prototypical No.1 receiver and a good candidate to break out in his second season. The problem is the Dolphins for some reason love to target small, slow, inefficient Jarvis Landry (166 targets, 7.0 YPT) -- even during Parker's strong final six games, Landry out-targeted him 71 to 42. The other issue is quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has shown only modest improvement 64 games into his pro career. But Tannehill hasn't had a dynamic target like Parker before, so it's possible the entire offense will open up this season. Also in Parker's favor is a lack of receiving depth —the erratic Kenny Stills is the team's No. 3, and Jordan Cameron, when healthy, is a quality pass-catching tight end, but Rishard Matthews and Lamar Miller (118 combined targets) are gone, and a good portion of their opportunities likely will go to Parker. Third-round rookie Leonte Carroo could be involved, but he's more likely to cut into Stills' role than Parker's. Finally, new head coach Adam Gase brings a credible offensive mind to the team after years in the wilderness with Joe Philbin and Dan Campbell. The entire passing game could see a boost as a result.

Drafted 14th overall by the Dolphins, Parker might be the happy medium between Amari Cooper's sustained college success and Kevin White's superior athleticism. At 6-3, 209, and running a 4.45 40, Parker's more than fast enough to get down the field, and he's big enough to operate in the red zone. He also had four productive years at Louisville, catching 33 touchdowns in 43 games. But Parker had foot surgery in early June, and it is uncertain if he will be ready for the regular season. When he does return, he will face a suddenly crowded Dolphins receiving corps; in addition to second-year man Jarvis Landry and recently signed veterans Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings, tight end Jordan Cameron (when healthy) is one of the best pass catchers in the league at his position.