Seahawks Like To Take Risk, Should Take One for WR Parker
It is no secret: the Seattle Seahawks love to take a risk. They especially love to take the risk on former first-round picks. This off-season, they should strongly consider taking the risk on a first-round wide receiver.
The risk-taking nature of the Seahawks has been a staple of the franchise since Pete Carroll and John Schneider started collecting NFL busts like LenDale White and Mike Williams. Some have worked like Marshawn Lynch and Frank Clark. Others have failed, like the aforementioned White.
This off-season, the Seahawks have some money to spend, but will likely set aside a large portion for retaining their own players, including Russell Wilson, Frank Clark, and Jarran Reed. They could still splurge on a top-level player, but that hasn’t been the M.O. of the Seahawks. Handing out massive free agent contracts have a high bust rate and cost you compensatory draft picks.
How do NFL teams add talent at discounted prices without sacrificing draft picks? They sign talented players who have run their course with a franchise and are getting cut, usually for as a “cap casualty”. Enter DeVante Parker.
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Parker, the 14th overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, was hyped as the next big play WR. Coming out of Louisville, Parker was a 6’3″. 210 lbs Adonis who ran a 4.45 40 at the combine with a solid 36.5-inch vertical leap. The Dolphins saw Parker as the next big play stud of the NFL and took the plunge to pair with young QB Ryan Tannehill.
In his 4 seasons with the Dolphins, Parker caught 164 passes for 2,252 yards and 9 touchdowns. This isn’t bad production. It’s just disappointing based on Parker’s raw skills. Parker’s best season was in 2016, where he caught 56 passes for 744 yards and 4 TD’s. Parker again flashed in 2017 and posted a similar slash line of 57/670/1.
Parker needs to be a better route runner and four years in, it’s not likely ever going to be a real skill. But at 26 years old, Parker still shows great potential as a down the field threat. The Seahawks have been looking for the big-bodied deep threat for a while. Take a look at this catch from 2017. Apologies, but the NFL wants you to go to Youtube directly for this, so just hit the link.
In this one 33 second clip, you see the total range of Parker’s upside. We see the size and leaping ability. We see the late separation. And we see soft hands and tremendous body control. Collinsworth was right, his knee did hit first and it was a catch. Parker’s current skill set makes him an ideal deep threat, who can highpoint a ball and get chunk yards.
But if Parker didn’t perform in Miami, why would he in Seattle? What’s the biggest difference in the teams? The quarterbacks. Personally, I think Ryan Tannehill is a little better than most people, but in 2018, there is no debate: Russell Wilson is just flat out better than Tannehill.
In fact, Wilson finished 2018 with the second highest “deep ball completion %”, connecting on 46.7% of his deep balls. By contrast, Tannehill completed just 26.3% of those paces, good for 32nd in the NFL.
Parker won’t likely come super cheap, but should still earn less than $6 million on the market. In addition to the reasonable price tag, Parker will not factor into the compensation pick formula, since he will be cut by Miami instead of a player who’s contract ended.
A change of scenery and an upgrade at QB could be exactly what the talented Parker needs to jump-start his career. The Seahawks could help fill a big hole on their roster without costing them major dollars and draft capital.
Next. Three other WR targets for the Seahawks. dark
An agreement between the two sides could be mutually beneficial. Parker’s marriage with the Dolphins went badly and with a new regime entering Miami, the timing is right for the Seahawks to kick the tires on this talented wide receiver.