On the field, DeVante Parker will give the Patriots a big-bodied downfield threat they have sorely missed on offense. With an NFL-best 57 contested catches since 2019, Parker’s ability to use his frame to get the ball is exactly what the Patriots hoped N’Keal Harry would bring to the table when they drafted him three years ago. It hasn’t happened, it likely won’t and there’s speculation Parker’s arrival will signal the end of Harry’s disappointing stint.
But before the team takes any snaps, what else the Parker trade gives the Patriots is flexibility in this month’s NFL Draft. Not that they would have prior to bringing Parker on board, but the Patriots don’t have to reach for a wide receiver with their first pick, especially with multiple needs on both sides of the ball. With Parker in the fold for the next two seasons, the wide receiver room - which also includes Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne - looks a heck of a lot better than it did last week.
Some will still clamor for a receiver in the first round and there are definitely two sides to the argument. Yes, this team needs playmakers if it wants to keep up with the rest of the AFC, which has been nothing short of an arms race this offseason. But what’s the plan if - and most likely when - the top guys are off the board at pick No. 21?
It’s very conceivable that Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Chris Olave and Treylon Burks are all off the board when it’s time for the Patriots to pick. And that’s even if they like all of these guys if one was there when they’re on the clock. They’ll likely need to trade up to get one of them.
On the flip side, in what seems like an annual occurrence, this year’s receiver class is strong and deep. After adding Parker, the team can wait and see what falls to them at No. 21. If that player is comparable to talent they can get later in the draft, why not address another position of arguably stronger need - like cornerback, linebacker or offensive line? If it’s not, and let’s say Jameson Williams falls, they should pounce because this offense, even after the addition of Parker, is still a ways behind the Chiefs and Bills of the conference.
It will be interesting to see what the Patriots truly think of the DeVante Parker trade come draft time. Was it simply a cost-efficient attempt to upgrade N’Keal Harry’s position…or more of a move to bring in a guy they have long admired who they feel can carry the weight of “WR1” in this offense? We’ll get an answer by the weekend in late April, but regardless, they have options now.
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