Parker, Phillips head list touting redemption

DAVIE — Call it The 2017 Redemption Tour.

It stars a trio of Dolphins wide receivers — 2015 firstround pick DeVante Parker, 2016 third-round pick Leonte Carroo and 2016 sixth-round pick Jakeem Grant — as well as defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, the team’s 2015 second-round pick.

All have declared last season disappointing for one reason or another, and all have vowed to redeem themselves in 2017.

Here’s the significance: If dynamic receiver Parker, potential run-stuffer Phillips and play-making return specialist Grant follow through with their pledges, the Dolphins could be much better on offense, defense and special teams.

The Redemption Tour won’t go public until training camp opens in late July, but it continues in earnest Tuesday when the Dolphins begin their threeday minicamp.

Each player seemed to stick with that mindset through the organized team activities that

concluded this week.

Coach Adam Gase takes that as a good sign, at least initially.

“A lot of times you don’t have to tell a guy what his faults are,” Gase said. “They know by playing time whether they’re active or not.

“When guys really take it on themselves and come to you and say, ‘I need to get better. How do I do it?’ and they keep following up on that, to me that’s the action you’re looking as the starting point.”

But Gase, who has probably seen dozens of players make similar declarations, knows no matter what they say, it ultimately comes down to performance.

“At the end of the day, you have to go out there and do it, and it’s [about] consistency,” he said.

“Everything you do is consistency.”

Parker, who has shown flashes and had nine receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown over the final two games of the regular season, has vowed to be more reliable throughout the year. He could make the Dolphins one of the NFL’s most dangerous receiving trios by teaming with Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry and speedy Kenny Stills (nine touchdowns) to give the Dolphins threats at three levels — short, intermediate and deep.

If Phillips, who also admittedly ran hot and cold, becomes consistent he could join fellow defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to help improve the NFL’s 30th-ranked run defense.

Grant, who mishandled five kickoff and punts as a rookie, could become a threat to score every time he touches the ball, as opposed to being a threat to fumble.

“All it took was that one drop to make me unsure of ‘Oh, am I going to catch this one or am I going to drop it?’” Grant said. “And that’s what created the chain reaction of dropping it, because I’m thinking so much of ‘Oh, I hope I don’t drop this one.’

“But this year I’m going into it like I’m catching everything that comes my way, no matter what it is — a punt or a catch on a pass. So, therefore, it’s just the fact of having that confidence of going back there and the confidence and swagger of saying ‘I’m going to catch this and I’m going to make a big play.’”

Carroo, who said he took being drafted for granted, could provide quality depth as well as special teams help with more maturity. Carroo started his redemption program with off-thefield work.

“I lost a ton of weight off the field, eating better, eating healthier,” he said. “Kenny Stills got me involved in Pilates. I was doing that to loosen up my hips and become a more fluid receiver. [I’m] just doing the little things that I didn’t do before to make my Year 2 even better.”

The road for each player will have potholes. Gase is looking for how they handle those situations.

“When you get put in that kind of situation where things don’t quite go right, how are you going to battle back?” the coach said. “I know a lot of people, that’s what they’re going to look for. ‘Are you going to fight and do everything you can to win your job, or to go from good to great?’

“I think every one of us is always looking for, ‘Who are the guys striving to get better?’”