The Eagles are signing veteran wide receiver DeVante Parker to a one-year deal, Parker’s agent Jimmy Gould confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Parker, 31, was a first-round pick back in 2015 and is entering his 10th NFL season.
The Eagles are giving Parker a one-year deal at the veteran minimum of $1.21 million for a player of his experience. Because of offset language in his previous deal, the Patriots are on the hook for the rest of the $4.69 million that’s fully guaranteed, according to Gould.
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Basically, the Eagles are adding Parker for the veteran minimum.
So this is an in expensive addition of a veteran receiver to bolster the Eagles’ receiving corps. But it certainly doesn’t mean they’re finished adding at the position.
“DeVante is extremely excited to be an Eagle and to be able to play with the elite guys on that offense,” Gould said. “There really are a lot of elite players. I don’t know how anybody is going to stop it.”
In Philadelphia, Parker will join a receiving corps that is headlined by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, in an offense that will also feature Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert.
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Parker signed a two-year, $10.8 million contract extension with the Patriots last July but will be released on Wednesday. The Patriots granted permission for Parker to speak to other teams before that happens.
In 2023, Parker played and started in 13 games for the Patriots and caught 33 of 55 targets for 394 yards. Parker hasn’t really lived up to his first-round status aside from his exceptional year in Miami in 2019, when he caught 72 passes for 1,202 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Aside from that 2019 season, Parker has averaged 46 catches and 557 yards per season. Before last year’s 33/394 season, Parker had 31/539/3 in his first season in New England in 2022.
The Eagles’ top three WR3 options from the 2023 season — Julio Jones, Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus — are all free agents. Although, Parker doesn’t appear to be an easy plug-and-play guy in the slot.
Last season, Parker played 496 snaps wide and just 80 in the slot, according to ProFootballFocus. While Parker has played some inside during his career, he has predominantly been an outside receiver. Of course, both Brown and Smith can play inside too.
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