As we predicted at the start of free agency, the Patriots made their big splash (so far) at receiver via a trade for a veteran when they acquired DeVante Parker and a fifth-round pick from the Dolphins for a 2023 third-round selection.
After kicking the tires on various veterans, including the Panthers' Robby Anderson, the Patriots landed on Parker.
New England fans have seen Parker twice a year since he was selected 14th overall in 2015 out of Louisville — with various iterations of quarterbacks with the perennially rebuilding Dolphins. He's certainly had some productive games against the Patriots, but he's done his most damage in the division against the Bills.
Like many players, including N'Keal Harry, Parker, 29, certainly hasn't lived up to his draft spot. The Dolphins continued to add at receiver and moved on from Parker. Has that been all on the quarterbacks he's played with and the team he's been on? We know what he's done in Miami, but what can he do in the Patriots' offense? Will he bring a big-play element to New England? Should the Patriots be done at the position?
After watching all of Parker's 2021 game film, we attempt to answer those questions and more, and provide some video analysis:
What kind of player is he?
DeVante Parker
6-foot-2.5, 209 pounds
4.45 in the 40-yard dash at the combine
His measurables, outside of bench press, are very similar to Harry. Parker is a little faster, not as thick. But they're very similar physically.
MockDraftable.com
DeVante Parker
MockDraftable.com
N'Keal Harry
Parker is a big, physical receiver. He is far from a burner. He's a long strider and can certainly get down the field, but that's not his bread and butter. Parker is a possession receiver. If he brings a big play, it comes via a jump ball down the field, or he takes a slant, breaks a tackle and picks up another 25 yards.
What is he good at?
Contested catches, for sure. He's not the strongest guy (as evidenced by his bench press), but he has great body control and can catch the ball a variety of ways - one hand, off-balance, high point, back-shoulder. His greatest asset is that Parker doesn't have to be open, to be open. That's good because he doesn't get a ton of separation. Could see Jones and Parker becoming experts at the back-shoulder pass. That would be a huge asset.
Where does he need work?
If Parker is to become a true No. 1 receiver — I'd say he's a 2 or 3 right now — he has to refine his route running. I'm sure it was fine in college and for a while in the pros, but he's barely in his prime right now considering all the injuries he's had. He is who he is — a big, long boundary receiver who won't dust many capable cornerbacks. To get more open and to become a very good receiver, Parker has to get better at the top of his routes. He rounds way too many off. Parker needs, on a crosser for example like the play below, to stick a foot in the ground and come straight down the line, if not back toward the quarterback. In the clip below, Parker fades his route by 4-5 yards and allows JC Jackson to break up the pass. An elite receiver comes straight down the line to gain that extra 2 yards from the corner. You see this constantly in his film. Whoever is the Patriots' receivers coach next year (Joe Judge?), it's incumbent they clean this up. It will determine if Parker is just a guy here, or THE guy. He can be the latter, even without much speed. But you have to be precise.
Where does he fit in New England?
If you have dreams of him being a slot receiver, good luck. Can he go over the middle? Yes. Can he find some YAC on some crossers? Yes. But he is a boundary guy. Slants, hitches, in cuts, back-shoulders ... that's what he does well.
Before I dug into the film, I thought Parker might signal the end for Nelson Agholor here. I don't think that's the case, unless the Patriots decide to go big in the draft with a dynamic receiver. Without that happening, I think Agholor sticks here — he is the only speedy downfield threat on the Patriots, and Parker being here helps get Agholor better matchups.
I could see, however, a scenario where the Patriots draft a Jameson Williams (Alabama) who takes the whole year as a medical redshirt (ACL). Agholor sticks for the final year of his contract, and then Jameson takes over when Agholor hits free agency.
If the Patriots don't make a move at receiver, I see Parker and Agholor on the field together as the top-two receivers, with Kendrick Bourne (3) and Jakobi Meyers (4) filling in after that. I really like Bourne too, but Agholor is a deep threat, Bourne is more of a gadget, quick-hitter type.
Even with Parker, the Patriots are far from having a dangerous group, a game-changer. Parker is nice, and will be productive here, but he's not a difference-maker. The Patriots still lack that element and should be looking for it.
The DeVante Parker File
Things I like:
- An excellent receiver on contested balls. He doesn't come up with all of them (see above), but he gets more than most. Hands catcher.
- He's more explosive with the ball in his hand than he is on his routes. Can get up the field quickly once he catches the ball and has a good feel for where defenders will be (unlike, say, a Brandin Cooks).
- He's open when he's covered.
- Looks like a smart player on the field. Adjusts his splits according to the defense on his own. Knows how to set up routes.
Things I didn't like:
- Not overly explosive. He's not going to tilt coverage, and won't keep defensive coordinators awake at night.
- Route running at top of the route needs a lot of work if he wants to become a consistent red chip player and approach being a blue chip (he's been a white chip, average, player to this point). He should be that here considering the QB and the scheme.
- This could be just the Miami scheme, which looked to have a lot of defined reads for Tua, but you could tell by the way he ran his route if he was an option on that pass, or just a decoy. You'd like receivers to run every route the same. Parker didn't do that on film.