Patriots Rumors: DeVante Parker Badly Wanted Trade To New England

DeVante Parker reportedly got what he desired in his trade to the New England Patriots.

The veteran wide receiver recently made it “very clear” to the Miami Dolphins brass that he wanted to join the rival Patriots, according to a report Monday from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

Parker was granted that wish Saturday, with Miami — no longer in need of his services after acquiring superstar wideout Tyreek Hill — shipping him to New England along with a 2022 fifth-round draft pick in exchange for a 2023 third-rounder.

It’s a move both sides were hoping for, per Rapoport’s report.

“From my understanding, (Parker) is someone that Coach Bill Belichick has liked for a long time, has always respected his skill set and really someone that he considers to be a solid addition to his receiving corps,” Rapoport said on NFL Network. “And then it went the other way, too. DeVante Parker wanted to be a member of the New England Patriots.

“He didn’t have a no-trade clause, so he didn’t have the power like that. It’s not like he’s Russell Wilson. But from my understanding, he made it very clear that he wanted to be a member of the Patriots, and as soon as general manager Chris Grier realized that was the best deal that they could get, it worked out well for all sides.”

Parker, a starting-caliber player who could become the Patriots’ No. 1 receiver if he can stay healthy, is a player Belichick and company know well. The 29-year-old played against New England 11 times during his seven seasons with the Dolphins and surpassed 100 yards in three of those games, including an eight-catch, 137-yard performance against Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore in 2019.

That 2019 season was the best of Parker’s career to date: 72 catches, 1,202 yards, nine touchdowns. It’s also the only time he’s gone a full season without missing time due to injury. The 2015 first-round draft pick appeared in just 10 games in 2021, catching 40 passes for 515 yards and two scores.

Parker will undergo his Patriots physical Monday, Rapoport reported, after which his trade can be finalized.

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As Rapoport alluded to, Belichick has raved about Parker in the past, saying in 2020 that he has a “very, very good skill set.”

“He’s a big athlete that runs well,” Belichick said. “Has good hands. Good run after-the-catch ability and good quickness for his size. He presents a lot of problems on deep balls. He’s a big target on intermediate routes, in-cuts, crossing routes, and things like that. He’s strong and can break tackles as a catch-and-run player, so he attacks all three levels of the defense and can be productive in all three spots.”

Parker joins a Patriots receiving corps that was led this past season by Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor, whose 2021 production did not match the two-year, $22 million contract he signed last March. N’Keal Harry, Kristian Wilkerson, Tre Nixon, Malcolm Perry and free agent pickup Ty Montgomery round out New England’s current depth chart.