It seems as though former Louisville football star DeVante Parker could soon be on the move after a weird turn of events this past weekend.
The NFL’s trade deadline is quickly approaching and we’ve already seen several trades already. One name that continues to be mentioned as a possible trade target is former Louisville football star and current Miami Dolphins wide receiver, DeVante Parker.
Everything was aligning this year for the fourth year pro to finally have his break through season, one that the Dolphins would have happened by now. When Miami took Parker with the 14th overall selection in the first round back in 2015, they believed he could be capable of a similar season to that of Odell Beckham Jr., Amari Cooper, and other receivers who came before and after him.
However, injuries, bad coaching decisions, poor practice habits, and just being on a terrible team have all hampered Parker. No one questions the talent of Parker, who totalted 156 receptions, 2,775 yards, and 33 touchdowns over his four year career at Louisville and potentially had one of the greatest careers at his position in school history.
But since being drafted in 2015, Parker has yet to play in all 16 games in a season and hasn’t eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark one time. The closest he’s gotten was in 2016, when he finished the season with 56 receptions for 744 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Earlier this summer our own, Presley Meyer, wrote that 2018 was shaping up to be the year where DeVante Parker put it all together and became one of the top receivers in the NFL, especially with the Dolphins trading away star receiver, Jarvis Landry. But through seven weeks of the season, Parker has appeared in just two games catching 2 passes for 40 yards. Instead its been guys like Albert Wilson, Kenny Stills, Danny Amendola, and Jakeen Grant that have carried the torch for the Dolphins.
Now with the trade deadline less than a week away, the Dolphins very well could be looking to move DeVante Parker for whatever they can get. Need proof? Just look at the fiasco that was last weekend for both parties.
Parker, who was slated to return after being injured, wasn’t on the injury report leading up to Sunday’s matchup, so when Adam Gase made him a healthy scratch it was a move that made a lot of people question what was going on.
Shortly after the game, Joe Schad Tweeted a statement from DeVante Parker’s agent about the receiver being inactive.
DeVante Parker was inactive for the Miami Dolphins today. Here is a statement just provided to the PB Post from his agent, Jimmy Gould. pic.twitter.com/eXLxTtCFwA
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 21, 2018
Things got even weirder earlier this week when Adam Gase commented on DeVante Parker’s chances to play this upcoming weekend, saying:
"“We don’t have any more receivers so I’m sure he’s going to play."
Resounding vote of confidence, right?
Parker has come out on the record saying that just because his agent says something doesn’t mean he (Parker) agrees with it. Regardless, there’s all the more reason for a move to be made.
When healthy, there’s no doubt that DeVante Parker can help just about any team in the NFL. The Dolphins have been asking around the league for a 3rd or 4th round pick, which hasn’t had many squads interested. But if the asking price comes down closer to Tuesday’s deadline, we could see Parker in a new uniform this season.
What teams make sense?
A few teams have been rumored to have interest in the former Louisville star, including the NFL Super Bowl Champion, Philadelphia Eagles, the Oakland Raiders, and the Dallas Cowboys.
The best move is clearly for DeVante Parker to be moved, and honestly the faster the better. Be on the lookout over the next few days for a potential trade.