Parker’s time is now
Gase: Staying healthy will be key to getting best from WR
There was a lot of
ORLANDO — talk about small wide receivers that morning at the NFL owners meeting two weeks ago.
Albert Wilson is fast, but small. Danny Amendola is quick, but small. Jakeem Grant is lightning, but small.
Jarvis Landry is gone, but he was pretty small.
You know who’s not small? DeVante Parker.
The Dolphins have this group of, well, small receivers. Not that that can’t work.
But lost in all the talk about
Ryan Tannehill’s return and Landry’s departure, and the new offensive linemen, is the notion of what Parker may mean for the 2018 Dolphins offense. That’s because many fans are sort of … well … over it.
They’re tired of hearing about Parker’s potential. They’re tired of hearing how he’s going to be a breakout fantasy football star. And how he has the skill set to be a Pro Bowler. And how his unique combination of size (6-foot-3) and athleticism — blah, blah, blah.
So many people are over it. Well, at the owners meeting, Dolphins coach Adam Gase indicated he is not yet over it. Gase has not given up on the idea of what Parker may be.
“I feel like we know what he can do,” Gase said. “I don’t think there is any question what anybody feels he can do. I don’t even think it’s a potential thing. I think it’s a health thing. I think it’s just about however we can keep him healthy. I think that’s when we get our best DeVante Parker.”
Maybe an under-the-radar Parker will be a better Parker.
Maybe a contract-year Parker will be a better Parker.
Maybe he’ll just catch a break. Maybe he’s just really been an unlucky fellow.
Parker played 13 games in 2017, but delivered only 52 receiving yards per game. And Parker’s yards per catch were a careerlow 11.8.
Before he was hurt, Tannehill couldn’t stop gushing about his expectations for Parker. So maybe, maybe, his return will help.
Parker is about to enter his fourth NFL season. He’s just turned 25, still relatively young. Parker’s skill set is unique. But will the whole “unicorn” thing ever come to fruition in South Florida?
“I’ve always been a big fan of having as many different guys as you can,” Gase said of his receiving group. “And we’ve got a good variety. We’ve got a lot of speed. Different sizes. We just have to keep guys healthy and on the field.”
Especially No. 11. Underpaying and overperforming: The best NFL teams pay their best players the most money. The best NFL teams don’t clog up their top salary-cap slots with underperformers.
But even more impor- tantly, the best NFL teams get excellent production from much lower-paid players on rookie contracts.
For example, some fans are upset that the Dolphins chose not to pay Landry $14-$15 million a season on a long-term deal. But even if you are outraged, you must agree with this: Selecting Landry in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft was a shrewd move.
Landry, with more catches than any player in NFL history over his first four seasons, turned in a remarkable cost-result ratio, considering the club paid him only $3.47 million over four seasons. That’s how the NFL is structured now. Landry had to wait to get paid.
The Dolphins received excellent production at a low cost.
With that said, here are 10 Dolphins who must outperform their reasonable rookie deals in 2018 for the Dolphins to be successful:
1. WR DeVante Parker ($3.5 million cap hit) — Will he be shopped or given one more chance?
2. OT Laremy Tunsil ($3.4 million cap hit) — He must be a dominant left tackle. On Day 1 of training camp.
3. CB Xavien Howard ($1.7 million cap hit) — If he really is a lock-down, shutdown corner, everything changes.
4. RB Kenyan Drake ($900,000 cap hit) — Can he hold up an entire season? Can he do Chris Johnson-like things?
5. LB Raekwon McMillan ($1 million cap hit) — Hasn’t played a regular-season down. Will be a young QB of D.
6. DT Jordan Phillips ($1.4 million cap hit) — Played only 38 percent of snaps in ’17. Go replace Ndamukong Suh.
7. CB Cordrea Tankersley ($760,000 cap hit) — Does he hold off Tony Lippett? In best case, both play well.
8. DE Charles Harris ($2.5 million cap hit) — Only two rookie sacks. Jason Taylor had only five as a rookie.
9. DT Davon Godchaux ($605,000 cap hit) — Miami’s most eye-opening rookie in 2017. Great motor.
10. CB Bobby McCain ($1.9 million cap hit) — Solid in the slot last season. Has talent to make even more plays.
‘I don’t think there is any question what anybody feels he can do.’ Adam Gase Dolphins coach, on receiver DeVante Parker