Patriots acquire DeVante Parker from Dolphins in stunning swap

While the New England Patriots were sitting around 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 fairly frequently lately, as the idea of being the third option behind Hill and Jaylen Waddle likely didn’t appeal to him.

Even with some iffy performances last year, teams like New England had a great deal of interest in a taller possession receiver like Parker.

While Bill Belichick may have liked Parker, he was not going to acquire him if it meant parting with any of New England’s premium picks. After some haggling between Belichick and Chris Grier, it looks like the two bitter division rivals have agreed on 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 choice in 2023. After missing out on some of the biggest free agent names out there, New England finally made an impact addition when they traded for Parker.

The New England Patriots traded for DeVante Parker. After being picked 14th overall in the 2015 Draft out of 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, leading the AFC in receiving yards with 1,202.

Parker, who has recorded 24 touchdowns in his seven-year career, is still on track to earn roughly $5.7 million in base salary in each of the next two seasons. 

While he only recorded 515 yards receiving last year due to injuries, he profiles as a strong bounce-back candidate under Belichick in New England.

The possibility of Parker taking the WR1 throne away from Kendrick Bourne is more than likely. With Parker and Bourne on the outside, the recently retained Jakobi Meyers potentially getting more time in the slot, and a draft pick adding more youth to that room, New England’s receivers room is much deeper than it was a week ago.

The Patriots finally got Mac Jones the support he needs, as the 6-3 Parker should be a reliable red-zone target and field stretcher. While this move lacks the bombast of a Hill trade, it shows that the Patriots are content with missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.