Miami Dolphins: Is It Time To Move On From Devante Parker?

Make no mistake about it, Devante Parker is one of the most dynamic playmakers for the Miami Dolphins. When he’s on the field he easily changes the pace of the offense. He’s the guy that can win the 50/50 jump balls. He’s got the speed underneath that can turn a one-step/throw slant go for 7-10 yards. He has the ability to take you deep. The problem for Miami is he just can’t stay healthy.

All things considered, maybe it’s their fault. The Dolphins know he’s a playmaker and the entire offense seems to go through him. There hasn’t been a year where he’s not the go-to guy when they need big plays. But those plays are always over the middle where he’s taking a ton of hits, too many. When you’ve got a player who constantly is injured and you want to preserve his longevity, work the sidelines.

That’s the problem though, Parker is one of the few people consistently turning short passes into big gains. This year he’s got help from Waddle. Mike Gesicki is making plays but inconsistently, so the offense goes through Parker.

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But the Miami Dolphins are investing too much time into Devante Parker. They’ve taken the Derrick Rose that the Chicago Bulls did after his injury. They know he’s an asset and they’re holding on just in case he can stay healthy. But just like the Bulls, their asset isn’t staying healthy and this is Miami’s fear. Just like Derrick Rose got back in good health after he left Chicago and would go on to be a playmaker elsewhere, the Dolphins don’t want the same of Parker.

But how long do you hold the offense hostage? How long does Miami have to rely on players who are buried on the depth chart to carry them against starting/pro bowl caliber cornerbacks? The Dolphins traded away Kenny Stills when they thought they had Parker and company to carry the load. They signed Will Fuller who they thought would take pressure off Parker. Miami even drafted Jalen Waddle first overall because of his chemistry with Tua. However, they keep waiting for Devante Parker to be their guy who clears things out and makes room for these other guys to make plays.

Make no mistake about it, as a Miami Dolphins fan Devante Parker is one of my favorite players right now. However, I’d buy a jersey for whatever team he went to and support him if it meant getting a playmaker who’s on the field more often than not. It’s a shame seeing such an amazing talent never reach his full potential.

According to OvertheCap.com the Miami Dolphins have the most salary cap space going into the 2022 season and can go on a spending spree. Could this be the last year they invest in Devante Parker? He’s a value in terms of contract next year, but competition from someone who can stay on the field might be in the cards.