DeVante Parker to New England Patriots: How the trade affects N’Keal Harry, what the WR depth chart looks like now – New England Patriots Blog
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have acquired vast receiver DeVante Parker and a 2022 fifth-round draft decide from the Miami Dolphins in trade for a 2023 third-spherical choose, a transfer that has a important trickle-down impact in many places.
WR depth chart: Parker joins a apparent-minimize major 4 on the depth chart along with Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor. This very likely usually means the stop of the road for 2019 very first-round choose N’Keal Harry, who previously experienced a hard time breaking by means of and now faces greater competitors. At the identical time, this would not prohibit the Patriots from picking out a receiver in the draft, specially looking at Meyers and Agholor are scheduled for unrestricted cost-free agency soon after the 2022 year. In concept, introducing Parker would take quick tension off any rookie receiver and offer insurance plan/cushion if the group observed value in utilizing the No. 21 over-all pick for a player this sort of as Alabama’s Jameson Williams, who is recovering from a torn ACL and could possibly open up the 12 months on the bodily unable to carry out/non-football harm record.
Parker’s design and style of participate in: At 6-foot-3 and 219 kilos, Parker gives the Patriots something they failed to have (in portion since Harry never ever panned out): a even bigger concentrate on who can use his sizing to get in contested-catch situations. Parker’s functionality in the 2019 finale against the Patriots and major cornerback Stephon Gilmore was an case in point of what he can be when nutritious and at his ideal (eight catches for 137 yards). Pair that with the speed of Agholor (6-, 198), the versatility/trustworthiness of Meyers (6-2, 200) and inside explosiveness of Bourne (6-1, 190), and it is really a best four that does not have a bona fide star but capabilities numerous contributors who can most likely build challenges for defenses.
Knock on Parker: If he is nutritious. Those people are 3 of the most significant phrases when it will come to Parker, 29, who has battled hamstring problems at occasions more than his job. He has performed just about every match in a year just at the time. In phrases of fitting into the Patriots’ culture, a person NFL front-office environment government assignments no troubles. “Peaceful, good dude, really hard employee, fantastic teammate,” the govt said.
Draft picks: The Patriots now have eight picks getting into the 2022 draft — one in each individual of the to start with 4 rounds, two fifths and two sixths. This is substantial as the group entered the offseason with just six and has considering that additional two fifth-round picks by dealing setting up proper guard Shaq Mason and in this deal for Parker. Coach Monthly bill Belichick typically likes to have much more picks, which enables for a lot more versatility trade-intelligent. Working a 2023 3rd-rounder could be seen as abundant, but the club is anticipating a compensatory third-rounder next yr just after losing cornerback J.C. Jackson in free of charge company last month. Owner Robert Kraft has expressed the significance of the draft for the staff right after some lean a long time in that regard from 2016 to 2020.
Wage-cap dominoes: Buying Parker and the remaining two years of his agreement — $5.65 million in 2022 and $5.7 million in 2023 — must drive the staff to develop place to accommodate him. The Patriots experienced $4.19 million in cap room moving into the weekend. Although not a provided, it probably demonstrates that the Patriots’ significant personnel moves are in excess of as the emphasis turns intently to the draft.
