MIA extends WR Devante Parker for 4 years / 40M

[Forge]

24 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Parker 8-137 against the league’s top cover guy.   If anyone thinks he’s a fluke they are delusional. 

He's always had talent. I know a couple of us loved him for the 49ers coming out and were hoping to pick him. Just injuries and a really weird relationship with that Miami staff before this year.

[Nex_Gen]

33 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Parker 8-137 against the league’s top cover guy.   If anyone thinks he’s a fluke they are delusional. 

So that makes up for the first 3-4 years of being completely useless? Got it.

[Broncofan]

31 minutes ago, Nex_Gen said:

So that makes up for the first 3-4 years of being completely useless? Got it.

Some guys take time.   72-1200-9 is pretty hard to dismiss, especially since he's been doing it solo the last 3-4 games with teams isolating on him, and literally 6+ games with an anemic pass attack until MIA turned the O to the gunslinger Fitzmagic, willing to put the ball his way.

And let's also be clear, for 3 of the 4 years in question:

Just maybe, besides health (a fair knock), the issue with MIA guys may not be all them....just maybe, it was Gase.  But yes, let's just throw 3-4 years as the reason why this year has to be a fluke.

Oh wait, you've been dismissing him all thread.   Got it.

 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Broncofan

[43M]

11 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Some guys take time.   72-1200-9 is pretty hard to dismiss, especially since he's been doing it solo the last 3-4 games with teams isolating on him, and literally 6+ games with an anemic pass attack until MIA turned the O to the gunslinger Fitzmagic, willing to put the ball his way.

And let's also be clear, for 3 of the 4 years in question:

Just maybe, besides health (a fair knock), the issue with MIA guys may not be all them....just maybe, it was Gase.  But yes, let's just throw 3-4 years as the reason why this year has to be a fluke.

Oh wait, you've been dismissing him all year.   Got it.

 

I dont think he is a fluke.     I always thought he had major talent.   

However, one year wonders arent exactly uncommon.

Not saying he will be one.....but I wouldnt exactly be shocked if he didnt exactly live up to expectations next season.      Then again, I wouldnt be shocked if he had a huge year either.     Just one of those guys who I always have high hopes for, but I cant hang my hat on. 

Hope he does well, though.

[Broncofan]

4 minutes ago, FourThreeMafia said:

I dont think he is a fluke.     I always thought he had major talent.   

However, one year wonders arent exactly uncommon.

Not saying he will be one.....but I wouldnt exactly be shocked if he didnt exactly live up to expectations next season.      Then again, I wouldnt be shocked if he had a huge year either.     Just one of those guys who I always have high hopes for, but I cant hang my hat on. 

Hope he does well, though.

Sure, but even then - 10M a year is literally Top 30-40 WR money.   And he's played well above that this year - Tate, Tyrell Williams, Cole Beasley are the guys who got similar deals.  We also know coming out of college he had skills/college tape that suggested this was his ceiling, so it's not like it's that improbable.  And of course, Gase leaving and a capable vertical QB showing up, suddenly the trio of Tannehill/Drake/Parker are lighting it up on 3 different teams? 

And again - look at the 2018-9 signings for 10M AAV - Donte Moncrief, Tyrell Williams, Cole Beasley.    People who keep knocking the deal are seriously saying MIA would be better off spending that kind of money on THAT tier of WR's instead?    And for those who are saying they should draft a WR instead - why can't they do both?  Preston Williams is likely out a good part of 2020.   It's not like signing Parker prevents MIA from getting more talent.   Come on, people.

And we haven't even covered how MIA has to spend up to the floor, and their roster literally has no one else playing at that level who's extendable (they extended Rowe, Howard and Parker).   Players in their rookie deal can't be extended until their 4th year.   Parker is literally the standout extension guy.  

Edited December 30, 2019 by Broncofan

[Nex_Gen]

31 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Some guys take time.   72-1200-9 is pretty hard to dismiss, especially since he's been doing it solo the last 3-4 games with teams isolating on him, and literally 6+ games with an anemic pass attack until MIA turned the O to the gunslinger Fitzmagic, willing to put the ball his way.

And let's also be clear, for 3 of the 4 years in question:

Just maybe, besides health (a fair knock), the issue with MIA guys may not be all them....just maybe, it was Gase.  But yes, let's just throw 3-4 years as the reason why this year has to be a fluke.

Oh wait, you've been dismissing him all year.   Got it.

 

I mean, your logic is that we dismiss 3-4 years of literally doing nothing to 1 year of production.

My logic is that we dismiss 1 year of production to 3-4 years of literally doing nothing.

Preston Williams actually had him beat before he landed on IR. The Dolphins literally had nobody else to run through in their offense this year. And they were never once in a positive game script; Fitzpatrick was the leading rusher on the team. It could be Gase. I'm not opposed to the thought of that. But Tannehill/Drake showed flashes even before they left his demise. Parker, up to before this season, had literally shown nothing. 

Edited December 30, 2019 by Nex_Gen

[43M]

8 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Sure, but even then - 10M a year is literally Top 30-40 WR money.   And he's played well above that this year - Tate, Tyrell Williams, Cole Beasley are the guys who got similar deals.  We also know coming out of college he had skills/college tape that suggested this was his ceiling, so it's not like it's that improbable.  And of course, Gase leaving and a capable vertical QB showing up, suddenly the trio of Tannehill/Drake/Parker are lighting it up on 3 different teams? 

And again - look at the 2018-9 signings for 10M AAV - Donte Moncrief, Tyrell Williams, Cole Beasley.    People who keep knocking the deal are seriously saying MIA would be better off spending that kind of money on THAT tier of WR's instead?    And for those who are saying they should draft a WR instead - why can't they do both?  Preston Williams is likely out a good part of 2020.   It's not like signing Parker prevents MIA from getting more talent.   Come on, people.

And we haven't even covered how MIA has to spend up to the floor, and their roster literally has no one else playing at that level who's extendable (they extended Rowe, Howard and Parker).   Players in their rookie deal can't be extended until their 4th year.   Parker is literally the standout extension guy.  

Never said it was a bad signing.   Miami has a ton of money and the money really isnt THAT bad for a guy with his potential.

Just saying I wouldnt bet any money on him remaining a consistently dependable WR.

[43M]

4 minutes ago, Nex_Gen said:

Parker, up to before this season, had literally shown nothing.  

This is absolutely false.

Was he extremely disappointing?   Yes, but he flashed amazing potential at times.     Somewhat reminded me of Martavis Bryant in regards to his talent on the field....made some highly impressive plays, but was never dependable enough to be on the field on every play.

[Broncofan]

42 minutes ago, Nex_Gen said:

I mean, your logic is that we dismiss 3-4 years of literally doing nothing to 1 year of production.

My logic is that we dismiss 1 year of production to 3-4 years of literally doing nothing.

Preston Williams actually had him beat before he landed on IR. The Dolphins literally had nobody else run through in their offense this year. And they were never once in a positive game script because they're leading rusher was Fitzpatrick. It could be Gase. I'm not opposed to the thought of that. But Tannehill/Drake showed flashes even before they left his demise. Parker, up to before this season, had literally shown nothing.  

My logic is that we examine the whole context:

-Gase had Parker (and Drake) in the doghouse.   We know how fickle Gase is.  Remember, he had Kalen Ballage & Frank Gore playing ahead of Drake last year (to which the GM had Ballage ahead of Drake, but I suspect that's because of non-winning reasons that Fitz & co. threw a monkey wrench into).

-Parker went 1.14 and it wasn't seen as a reach at the time. 

-Parker, when healthy, has in fact shown big flashes.  2016 - Chargers 5-103 & Rams 8-79-1, then gets hurt.  2017 - starts first 3 games 4-85 & 8-75-1 and 6-69, then gets hurt.   Last year, after being a healthy scratch (Gase doghouse), 1st game 6-134-1  TNF vs. HOU.    I mean, what stretches are you applying to Drake that somehow don't apply to Parker?   To be clear - Drake's supposed track record was a 3-game stretch in which he ran for 100+ yards 2x and 78 yards 1x, in 2017.  Look up the rest - there is NOTHING else that stands out.  Honestly, it comes off as incredibly selective to say Drake had this track record of success, but dismiss Parker's big games.  Really iffy logic there - Drake's 3-game stretch is supposed to matter more in 2017?     That's just weak.   If you really think Parker had shown no flashes before - you're just not paying attention, but willing to apply the same criteria you're ignoring to Drake instead.

Normally, a 3-4 year period with inconsistent production merits a lot of doubt.   But when you look at how Gase put guys with clear talent in the doghouse, and how his system also did NOT push the ball downfield, or throw in contested catch situations (where Parker rates in the top 10 league-wide, and that's no fluke stat, the film shows he's beating guys 1 on 1 in contested situations), it's pretty clear to see why 2019 comes off a late arrival more than just mere fluke.

Could Parker underperform in 2020?  Absolutely.   So much has to go right for peak production to occur.  Keep in mind though that health-wise, Parker's biggest problem was his own lack of commitment to staying healthy - for which his near-bust label forced a change.   So there's that to consider as well. 

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/20191201/miami-dolphinsrsquo-devante-parker-lsquoi-was-perceived-as-bust-thing-has-changed-nowrsquo - and before you say it's a puff piece - read the section on Parker's conditioning changes, and the lack thereof before 2019.   It's eye-opening that talented guys need a wake-up call to develop a successful work ethic, but it's certainly plausible by what we saw (and why Gase may have been more likely to put him in the doghouse with cause), and certainly hard to dismiss it here.

Instead of just dismissing a late breakout as a fluke, it's always worth examining if there are legit reasons to say it's real.  In Parker's case - you have a guy with 1st round draft stock, documented flashes of success, and then mixed in with a system/QB that will play to his strengths, and then a commitment to actually improving his conditioning & training, realizing it was perhaps his last shot at staying in the game.    If you are willing to give Drake a pass for his supposed "track record", perhaps consider that Parker pretty much fits in the same case.  Just saying.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Broncofan

[Broncofan]

29 minutes ago, FourThreeMafia said:

Never said it was a bad signing.   Miami has a ton of money and the money really isnt THAT bad for a guy with his potential.

Just saying I wouldnt bet any money on him remaining a consistently dependable WR.

That's fair - because his skill set is in winning contested catches, and having a QB who's willing to throw to him even if there's not a lot of separation.  He wins by body control, and boxing guys out - and his hands (while maddening with the occasional concentration drop) are good enough for him to hand-catch everything away from the defender.   While Tannehill has been awesome in TEN, he was never a vertical passer, nor a guy who knew how to throw the 50-50 ball, or even the slant/curl where it allowed the big-body guy to win contested catches.   And certainly Gase's system didn't call for that in MIA (a ton of bubble screen / short stuff, with the occasional deep ball, was Gase's way of dealing with horrid OL play last year).

A guy like Fitzmagic is perfectly suited for him.  He's also never been able to stay healthy, but the new conditioning program (and commitment to not eat junk food lol) really made a huge difference this year.   Health is the least reproducible element, though.   He's going to have to put up another year of stable health before ppl will trust it, I get that part.  But if he's on the field and healthy, and he's got a gunslinger, there's pretty special talent there.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Broncofan