Some major news in the NFL broke on Wednesday, when we found out the Chiefs were shipping superstar receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
The Eagles didn’t get Hill, but they could still benefit from the trade.
Howie Roseman should make a call to the Dolphins about veteran receiver DeVante Parker.
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Because after the Dolphins traded for Hill, they gave him a four-year, $120 million extension. In addition to Hill, the Dolphins also Jaylen Waddle from last year’s draft and they signed Cedrick Wilson in free agency. On top of all that, they still have tight end Mike Gesicki, who puts up receiver numbers.
That might mean Parker is the odd man out in Miami or at least relegated to a deeper spot on the depth chart. Perhaps this will lead the Dolphins to cut ties with the former first-round pick. If that’s the case, the Eagles should be among the teams ready to strike.
Parker, 29, was the No. 14 pick in the draft in 2015 out of Louisville and he’s spent the first seven years of his career in Miami. But now that he might be the odd man out, it’s worth noting that the Dolphins would save over $3.34 million in cap space if they trade or release Parker before June 1.
They’d eventually save even more if they designate Parker as a post-June 1 cut, but if a team offers the Dolphins a mid-to-late-round pick for him, it might be enough to get it done.
NFL
The Eagles have three first-round picks but they have 10 total picks in 2022, including three fifth-rounders and a sixth. If the Dolphins are planning to release Parker anyway, a Day 3 pick might be all the Eagles need to offer.
Parker (6-3, 219) still has two years left on his contract with very moderate salaries of $5.65 million in 2022 and $5.7 million in 2023. So even if this ends up being a stop-gap option for the Eagles, it wouldn’t be a very costly one.
Adding Parker would give the Eagles a nice big-bodied complement to DeVonta Smith (although the spelling conundrum would not go unnoticed). That would give the Eagles their starting three of Smith, Parker and Quez Watkins. A top four of Smith, Parker, Watkins and Zach Pascal looks pretty solid.
We already know the Eagles tried to work a trade for Calvin Ridley before the NFL suspended him, so it’s clear that Roseman wants to improve that position. And it would be tough to convince everyone that the Pascal signing took care of it.
It’s also worth noting that the Eagles have been linked to Parker before too, dating back to 2018:
Parker played in just 10 games last season and he’s dealt with some injuries and inconsistent play during his career. But that’s why he could be the odd man out in Miami and it’s why he might be available for a team like the Eagles.
When he’s on top of his game, Parker can be a dynamic player. The Eagles saw it first hand in 2019, when Parker went for 7 catches, 159 yards and 2 touchdowns against them.
If they try to trade for Parker now, they might not be getting that guy, but they’d have a chance to land a talented player for a reasonable price who would help them in an area where they need it.
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