With New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker firmly in the fold for a couple of months now, league personnel are continuing to discuss the impact he could have on the offense.
Parker caught 40 passes for 517 yards and two touchdowns last season. He played well against New England the first time the two teams met — catching seven passes for 81 yards, averaging 20.3 yards per reception.
It was a bit of a different story when the two teams met at the end of the regular season in January. He was held to two receptions on four targets for 12 yards.
Parker had strong games against the Patriots historically, and now New England hopes he can continue those efforts for the organization. ESPN NFL analyst Mike Tannenbaum told ESPN’s Mike Reiss that Parker will be able to bring a variety of skill sets to the team.
‘You’re getting someone who can win on the outside,” Tannenbaum told Reiss. “Big catch radius and good at high-pointing the ball. Really effective with in-breaking routes and in the red zone. He’s a very likeable, fun-loving person who is a great teammate — always smiling, never had a bad day.
“Injuries have been a problem, and you just hope he can put it together for 17 games. I wouldn’t say his play speed is elite, but (if healthy) he’s a very good starting NFL receiver who can be scoring eight to 12 touchdowns and making contested catches.”
Parker will be added to a revamped a wide receiver room that includes Baylor rookie Tyquan Thornton. With the departure of Josh McDaniels to the Las Vegas Raiders, this gives New England a chance to change up their offense. Parker could be an important playmaker for quarterback Mac Jones, as he looks to continue to trend upward in his second season.
