DeVante Parker

WR DeVante Parker Announces Retirement

May 22nd, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Ben Levine

MAY 22: The Eagles officially placed Parker on their reserve/retired list Wednesday. Barring a comeback attempt, Parker will wrap his career after seven seasons as a Dolphin, two as a Patriot and two months with the Eagles.

MAY 20: DeVante Parker is calling it a career. After signing with the Eagles earlier this offseason, the veteran wide receiver told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he has decided to retire.

“I want to see my kids, spend quality time with them,” Parker said of his decision. “I want to be there for them whenever I can.”

The former first-round pick spent the first seven seasons of his career in Miami, including a 2019 campaign where he hauled in 72 catches for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. Parker ultimately finished his Dolphins career having collected 4,727 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. While Parker didn’t necessarily live up to his first-round billing in Miami, he still left the organization ranked top-10 in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

“I also appreciate the Dolphins for drafting me and giving me the opportunity,” Parker told Schefter. “I always will have love for the Dolphins and their organization. And I want to thank all the teams, the Patriots and the Eagles, too. But the Dolphins were the first team, and I really want to thank them.”

Parker was traded to the Patriots ahead of the 2022 campaign and ultimately had two inconsistent seasons in New England. The Patriots’ QB uncertainty limited the wideout to only 933 yards in 26 games with the organization, including this past season where he finished with a career-low 394 receiving yards.

He was released by the Patriots in March and quickly caught on with the Eagles, where he was expected to compete for the third spot on the depth chart behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. With Parker out of the picture, the job is now Parris Campbell‘s to lose. The veteran addition will be competing with the likes of rookie Ainias Smith (fifth round) and Johnny Wilson (sixth round) for reps.

NFC Contract Details: Bucs, Mayfield, Eagles, Sweat, Parker, Rams, Garoppolo, Saints

April 3rd, 2024 at 5:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the details from some of the recently agreed-upon contracts around the NFC:

Baker Mayfield, QB (Buccaneers). Three years, $100MM. Of the $50MM in Mayfield guarantees, $40MM is fully guaranteed. The other $10MM will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2025 league year. Mayfield can also earn $5MM per year via incentives, Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes. Half of those are stat-based incentives. If Mayfield finishes in the top 10 in the NFL (or top five in the NFC) in passer rating, TD passes, yards, yards per attempt or completion percentage in any of the three years, he would earn $500K per category, Auman adds. The other $2.5MM per year comes through playoff incentives. Mayfield would earn $500K for a Bucs wild-card win, $750K for a divisional-round conquest and $500K for an NFC championship game win. If the Bucs are to win a Super Bowl with Mayfield at the helm, he would collect another $750K.
Darious Williams, CB (Rams). Three years, $22.5MM. Only $7MM of Williams’ $15MM guarantee is locked in at signing, per The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. This contract’s key date will come on Day 5 of the 2025 league year, when the remaining $8MM will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee. Barring injury, this effectively makes 2024 a “prove it” year for the now-two-time Rams CB.
Josh Sweat, DE (Eagles). One year, $10MM. The Eagles’ Sweat rework will bring $9.5MM guaranteed for the veteran defensive end, per OverTheCap. Philly used four void years to spread out the cap hit, which sits at $8.1MM for 2024. If Sweat signs elsewhere before this contract’s March 2025 expiration, the Eagles will be tagged with $16.4MM in dead money.
Cedrick Wilson, WR (Saints). Two years, $5.75MM. The Saints are guaranteeing Wilson $2.85MM, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell notes. The second-generation NFL wideout will be due a $200K roster bonus in 2025; none of Wilson’s ’25 salary ($2.7MM) is guaranteed.
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (Rams). One year, $3.18MM. Previously reported as including $4.5MM in base value, the Rams’ Garoppolo contract (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe) contains $3.18MM in base pay.
Ben Bredeson, G (Buccaneers). One year, $3MM. Bredeson’s Bucs pact includes $1.75MM guaranteed, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets.
DeVante Parker, WR (Eagles). One year, $1.21MM. The Patriots are paying most of Parker’s deal, with $3.19MM guaranteed remaining on his 2023 extension. The Eagles are not guaranteeing the former first-rounder anything, Volin tweets. The Pats will receive a $1.98MM cap credit if Parker plays the whole 2024 season.

Patriots Submit Offer To WR Calvin Ridley

March 12th, 2024 at 8:08pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots’ reported interest in receiver Calvin Ridley is very real. According to Josina Anderson, the Patriots have made an offer to the free agent wideout.

The organization is also opting to “keep a deal on the table” following today’s reports that focused on the interesting logistics of the previous Jaguars/Falcons trade. If Jacksonville re-signs Ridley before 2pm tomorrow, they’ll owe Atlanta a second-round pick. If they wait beyond that deadline and re-sign the receiver, the Jaguars would only owe the Falcons a third-round pick.

This led some pundits to believe that Ridley was destined to return to Jacksonville and was simply biding his time to provide his organization with better draft capital. However, it sounds like the Patriots are still very much in the hunt, and it’ll be interesting to see how negotiations progress over the next 24 hours.

New England holds more than $80MM in cap space, and with Ridley sitting atop the WR market, it only made sense that the Patriots would target the free agent for their new-look offense. The team moved on from Mac Jones and added veteran Jacoby Brissett, and the organization appears to be leaning towards selecting a QB with the third-overall pick. Ridley would represent an intriguing target for whoever is under center for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond.

The Patriots’ receivers struggled in 2023, although that was partly due to the team’s inconsistent play at quarterback. The team has already moved on from DeVante Parker and is looking to unload JuJu Smith-Schuster, leaving plenty of question marks atop the depth chart. The team did agree to new deals with Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor, but the rest of their depth chart features unproven options like Demario Douglas, Tyquan Thornton, and Kayshon Boutte.

Eagles To Bring In WR DeVante Parker

March 12th, 2024 at 2:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following his Patriots release, DeVante Parker will land on his feet. The former first-round pick is heading to Philadelphia on a one-year deal.

Parker is signing a fully guaranteed contract worth $4.69MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. Due to offset language in his Patriots deal, the Eagles are only picking up $1.2MM of this tab. This helps the Patriots regarding dead money, and the Eagles will take a flier on the nine-year veteran to see how he fits alongside A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The Patriots agreed to terms on an extension with Parker last year, but after another down aerial season in New England, the team changed course. New England dangled Parker in trades recently but found no takers. The Eagles, who were in on Parker when the Dolphins made him available in 2022, will step in with a low-risk signing.

Philly has not been able to rely on a No. 3 wide receiver since assembling its Smith-Brown duo in 2022. Quez Watkins gave way to stopgap Julio Jones, brought in during the 2023 season. The Eagles also signed Olamide Zaccheaus last year. Jones, Watkins and Zaccheaus are out of contract, giving the Birds some work to do to staff this auxiliary job.

At 31, Parker still represents a risky bet — even alongside a potent starting duo. The former Dolphins starter has one 1,000-yard season on his resume, being a perennial trade candidate in Miami, and is coming off a 394-yard showing in his second Patriots slate. That said, Parker averaged 17.4 yards per catch with the 2022 Patriots and finished with 539 yards and three TDs. The Eagles receiving that kind of production would be a boon. If nothing else, Parker could provide a possession target for Jalen Hurts — even if the big-bodied target is not an above-average separator.

Patriots Pursuing Calvin Ridley; Jaguars Still Aiming To Retain WR

March 12th, 2024 at 2:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 12: The Pats and Jags continue to pursue Ridley, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, who notes sources around the league point to a darkhorse team being in this mix. Another deep wideout draft class is likely affecting this year’s receiver market as well, though Darnell Mooney fetched a nice haul from the Falcons earlier today.

The Jags still being in this pursuit is interesting, with the team locking in Gabe Davis on Monday. Ridley coming back alongside Davis would point to the Jags, who also have Christian Kirk and Zay Jones under contract, changing up their current WR group.

MARCH 10: Wide receiver changes are expected in New England. After the team’s JuJu Smith-Schuster signing did not produce much of consequence last year, a bigger swing is anticipated once the legal tampering period begins Monday.

The Patriots are expected to pursue Calvin Ridley in free agency, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. The cap-rich team is not known for big free agency spending, save for a few instances (largely 2021), but new faces are running the show. The Eliot Wolf-led operation appears to be aiming for a big upgrade around a to-be-determined starting quarterback.

Jacksonville is expected to try and retain Ridley, but due to the structure of the trade with Atlanta in 2022, a pre-free agency strike has not been expected. If the Jaguars re-sign Ridley after he hits free agency, they will only owe the Falcons their 2024 third-round pick. If a deal becomes official before Ridley hits the market, Jacksonville owes Atlanta its second-rounder. The team already sent the Falcons a 2022 fifth in this two-pick trade.

With Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr.. tagged and Mike Evans re-signing with the Buccaneers, Ridley looks to be the top free agent wideout available. The Patriots hold more than $82MM in cap space; only the Commanders are carrying more into the tampering period. New England re-signed Hunter Henry late this week, but its pass-catching corps still features questions.

The Pats gave Smith-Schuster a three-year, $25.5MM deal that included $16MM fully guaranteed. His $7MM base salary for 2024 is locked in. DeVante Parker, however, may be less likely to be on the 2024 Patriots. The team is expected to try to unload Parker’s contract in a trade, according to MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian, Chris Mason and Mark Daniels. It would save the Pats just more than $3MM by trading Parker, who has two seasons left on the extension he signed last year. The former Dolphins first-round pick has $3.1MM remaining in guarantees on that summer 2023 re-up.

While last year did not feature a good receiver environment in New England, Parker totaled only 394 receiving yards — third-most among Pats wideouts. Smith-Schuster managed just 260 in an injury-shortened season. Despite playing in only eight games, Kendrick Bourne finished with 406 receiving yards and four TDs. The Patriots are not closing the door on keeping Bourne on a second contract.

Bourne and the Pats are still talking, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, who indicates the sides have not found an acceptable middle ground. Bourne, 28, is coming off an ACL tear. That said, the ex-49er appeared back in the team’s good graces after residing in the doghouse during a 2022 season in which he came up in trade rumors. Bourne, who totaled 800 receiving yards in Mac Jones‘ rookie season, played out a three-year, $15MM deal.

Patriots To Release WR DeVante Parker

March 11th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots attempted to trade DeVante Parker in the build-up to free agency, but no suitors have emerged. As a result, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports New England will release the veteran wideout.

This appeared in the cards recently, with reports the Pats were attempting to trade the former first-round pick. With Parker attached to an extension signed last year and the veteran north of 30 and coming off an unimpressive season, trade efforts seemed like an uphill battle. As such, the Pats are moving Parker off the roster.

New England has JuJu Smith-Schuster signed to a three-year deal that includes a guaranteed $7MM for 2024, and the team just re-signed Kendrick Bourne. With a Calvin Ridley pursuit on the team’s radar, it did not appear Parker had a place on the ’24 Pats roster.

Parker signed a Pats extension last year, but only $9.1MM of the summer accord came guaranteed. This left Parker vulnerable; it cost the Patriots just more than $3MM to release the 2015 Dolphins draftee now. New England had traded for Parker as part of an oft-criticized effort to upgrade the talent around Mac Jones. The move produced a 539-yard, three-touchdown 2022 season. The Patriots still shopped for upgrades in 2023, adding Smith-Schuster and pursuing DeAndre Hopkins. And Parker underwhelmed last year, hauling in just 33 passes for 394 yards and no TDs.

Bourne, Demario Douglas and Smith-Schuster represent the Pats’ WR pillars so far, with the recently re-signed Hunter Henry set to continue as a pivotal part of the Pats’ passing attack. Parker is unlikely to find a strong market for his services; the one-time 1,000-yard receiver turned 31 in January.

Contract Details On Recent Patriots Deals

July 9th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Rory Parks

Since the Patriots agreed to a three-year extension with wide receiver DeVante Parker at the end of June, we have seen a number of reports offering details on that deal. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe is the latest to weigh in.

It seems clear that the contract is worth a maximum of $33MM. We heard when the signing was first reported that $14MM of that figure is comprised of guarantees and per-game roster bonuses, and Volin notes that only $9.1MM is actually guaranteed (Twitter link). With an additional $4.59MM available in per-game roster bonuses, the total due between those two contractual components is $13.69MM, so just shy of the number included in the initial report.

The base value of the deal, including guarantees, per-game roster bonuses, and salary, is $17.1MM. That leaves $15.9MM available in incentives, all of which are classified as not likely to be earned for cap purposes and include benchmarks for playing time, receptions, and yardage (this jibes with a recent report from ESPN’s Field Yates, who noted that Parker could earn up to $14.7MM in statistical incentives and $1.2MM in All-Pro incentives).

Volin adds (via Twitter) that Parker’s cap numbers over the three years of the deal are $3.69MM, $6.57MM, and $6.57MM. It is a fairly low-risk transaction from New England’s perspective, and it does not impact the club’s pursuit of free agent wideout DeAndre Hopkins (in fact, because of Parker’s reduced 2023 cap charge, it could actually help the Pats in that regard). We heard earlier today that the Titans have been more aggressive than the Patriots in the Hopkins derby to date, but New England certainly remains in the running.

One day after the Parker re-up, the Patriots finalized a new contract with linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. Bentley landed a two-year extension, which was tacked onto the end of his previous deal and which keeps him under club control through 2025. Volin reports (via Twitter) that, when viewed as a three-year accord, Bentley’s contract is worth a base amount of $16.15MM and includes $1.7MM in incentives (so the maximum value is about $1MM less than the $18.75MM that was initially reported).

Volin confirmed that Bentley landed $9MM in fully-guaranteed money. Ultimately, Bentley will realize a $4.5MM raise for 2023 and will be well-positioned to remain on the roster for at least the 2024 campaign. Given the tepid market for most off-ball linebackers, Bentley may have been wise in sacrificing the chance to hit the open market next year in exchange for additional security.

AFC East Notes: Rapp, Bills, Parker, Amos

July 6th, 2023 at 9:07pm CST by Ben Levine

After starting 48 games for the Rams over the past four seasons, Taylor Rapp will head into the 2023 season as the Bills‘ third safety behind Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. While the 25-year-old free agent acquisition will provide Buffalo will top-end depth at the position, the team initially targeted Rapp as insurance for one of their starters.

As Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News writes, Bills safeties coach Joe Danna initially reached out to Rapp when the organization was uncertain if they’d be able to retain Poyer. The veteran ended up sticking around Buffalo on a two-year deal, and Rapp inked his one-year pact a few weeks later.

Rapp signed his contract understanding that he’d be a depth piece in Buffalo, but Bills defensive backs coach John Butler indicated that the newcomer’s versatility could afford him additional defensive snaps.

“Obviously, he understands he’s walking into a room with a ton of experience,” Butler told Skurski. “We love guys who have a versatile background. Just in the concept of their ability to play man, their ability to play zone, their ability to tackle, their ability to play the ball. I think he’s been a great addition to us and he’s fit in well, not only from a football player perspective but culturally. From a guy that just kind of is exactly what we want from a football DNA standpoint.”

Meanwhile, Rapp is more than happy to be playing alongside Poyer and Hyde.

“Those two guys, Micah and Jordan, those are the guys. They are very well established,” Rapp said. “Those guys are very special to this team, very special to this defense. Just finding different ways, unique ways to get the best 11 players out on the grass, whether that be different sub packages or different ways that I can get on the field to contribute. That doesn’t take away from getting on special teams. Just any way I can get on the field to contribute and ultimately help this team win a championship, that’s my goal, that’s all that I have in mind.”

More notes out of the AFC East…

With Isaiah McKenzie now in Indianapolis, the Bills will be looking for a wideout to step up behind Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Khalil Shakir, Deonte Harty, and Trent Sherfield are battling it out for the third spot on the WR depth chart, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. The writer opines that all three of the wideouts are likely to earn roster spots, with rookie sixth-round pick Justin Shorter likely getting the sixth and final spot on the depth chart.
DeVante Parker‘s three-year, $33MM extension with the Patriots created about $2.4MM in cap space, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The wideout has fully guaranteed salaries in 2023 and 2024, and he can earn $14.7MM of his $33MM via statistical incentives (plus another $1.2MM in All-Pro incentives). Greg Auman of Fox Sports (on Twitter) ends up simplifying the contract to a three-year, $18MM pact.
Adrian Amos‘ one-year, $4MM deal with the Jets includes an $1.25MM guaranteed base salary and a $500K signing bonus, per Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter). The safety can earn up to $900K in playing time incentives, $500K in Pro Bowl bonuses, and $850K in playoff incentives.

WR Notes: Harrison, Parker, Wideman

July 4th, 2023 at 7:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of time remains until the 2024 NFL draft will become an area of serious concern around the league, but a few figures can comfortably be considered first-round locks. One of those is Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is in line for a repeat of his hugely productive 2022 season this fall.

The son of Colts Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, the 6-3, 202-pounder lit up the statsheet last campaign. Harrison recorded 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns, and he is expected to follow that up in 2023 after the departure of Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Other pass-catchers will be worth watching for the Buckeyes (including Emeka Egbuka), but Harrison will enter the season as the top-ranked wideout in the ’24 draft class.

In fact, he could find himself in contention for the No. 1 overall spot, according to at least one NFL general manager. The unnamed exec said, via ESPN’s Matt Miller, “We haven’t had a wide receiver drafted first overall since Keyshawn [Johnson], but Harrison could push that – even in a draft with Caleb Williams.”

The presence of not only Williams but also a group of signal-callers including UNC’s Drake Maye in this class would make it surprising for Harrison to hear his name called first at this point. His substantial potential will nevertheless make him a name to watch as the season takes shape.

Here are some other receiver-related notes:

The Patriots recently retained DeVante Parker on a three-year extension worth up to $33MM. $14MM in guarantees is reportedly included in the deal, but its base value this year ($1.22MM) and next ($3.3MM) leaves most of his compensation set to be earned via incentives, as detailed (on Twitter) by Henry McKenna of Fox Sports and corroborated by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The pact’s incentives are tied to playing time, reception and yardage totals and All-Pro honors, which comes as little surprise given the modest statline Parker put up (31-539-3) in his debut Patriots campaign. Reiss notes that more than half of the value of the contract will be tied to incentives, making the former Dolphins’ performance a key storyline to follow moving forward.
The NFL will conduct a supplemental draft for the first time since 2019, and a pair of receivers are known to have been granted eligibility for selection. One of them – Malachi Wideman – will audition himself to teams during a Pro Day this Saturday (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of KRPC2). Wideman had a productive stint with Jackson State, which, coupled with an impressive showing on the weekend, could put him on the radar of being selected. The supplemental draft will take place on July 11, and teams will have the opportunity to acquire Wideman, Milton Wright and any other eligible players at the expense of 2024 entry draft capital.

Patriots Remain In DeAndre Hopkins Pursuit

June 29th, 2023 at 9:55am CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots took care of one of their own wide receivers Wednesday, coming to terms on a deal that pushes DeVante Parker‘s contract past 2023. Rather than the contract being a sign the Patriots are steering away from DeAndre Hopkins, the Parker deal may end up helping the team on this front.

Parker’s extension numbers are not out yet, though the initial report indicated the 2022 New England trade acquisition can earn up to $33MM — with up to $14MM guaranteed — on the new pact. But veteran reporter Mike Giardi notes the deal lowered Parker’s cap hit (Twitter link). Considering Parker already was tied to just a $6.2MM 2023 number, it will be interesting to see these new terms. The incentives in Parker’s deal range from playing time-based escalators to performance thresholds, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss notes, adding the former Dolphins receiver’s 2023 base salary will drop below $5.7MM on this new deal.

As for Hopkins, Giardi adds the Patriots believe they are still in the mix. They hosted Hopkins earlier this month, following the Titans in securing a meeting with the free agent standout. The Parker move does give the Pats two veteran wideouts signed beyond 2023, joining March addition JuJu Smith-Schuster, but the team has not ruled out having two 30-something receivers on its roster.

A 2015 first-round pick, Parker is going into his age-30 season. Hopkins turned 31 earlier this month. Parker and Hopkins are each known more for catch radiuses than separation ability, especially at this point in their respective careers, so seeing them on the same team would represent an interesting configuration for new OC Bill O’Brien‘s offense. Smith-Schuster, 26, has primarily been a slot receiver throughout his career; the ex-Steelers and Chiefs pass catcher would stand to complement a Parker-Hopkins outside duo.

The Pats landing Hopkins would seemingly relegate 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton to a reserve role, though the Baylor product remains an intriguing option after missing a chunk of his rookie year due to injury. Mike Gesicki is also in line to see extensive receiver time, crowding this position group — in the event Hopkins chooses to relocate to Massachusetts.

Kendrick Bourne amassed 800 receiving yards in 2021 before falling out of favor — to some degree, at least — with the coaching staff last season. The free agency addition totaled just 434 yards during a dysfunctional 2022 campaign for the Patriots’ offense. Bourne, who is going into his age-28 season, is signed through 2023. Parker’s deal, however, may put Bourne on New England’s roster bubble, AtoZsports.com’s Doug Kyed notes. The Pats can save $5.4MM by releasing or trading the seventh-year veteran. Trade calls came in on Bourne before the deadline last year; he was believed to be available for “the right price.”

Both the Pats and Titans extended offers to Hopkins, but the 10-year veteran is still waiting for his market to expand. While the Chiefs and Bills — long-rumored suitors who had previously discussed trade terms with the Cardinals — have been quiet here for a stretch, and a Deshaun Watson reunion in Cleveland is looking increasingly unlikely. But the Panthers have emerged as a team to monitor here.

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