2:55 p.m. ET
Marcel Louis Jacques
Mike Reiss
Conclude
ESPN Author- Covered Patriots since 1997
- With ESPN since 2009
ESPN AuthorFOXBOROUGH, Mass. – DeVante Parker got his wish granted; the Miami Dolphins got the draft capital they were looking for; and the New England Patriots have a player they hope will become a top wide receiver for quarterback Mac Jones.
Here’s how key people involved in the rare intradivision trade — the Dolphins sending Parker and a 2022 fifth-round pick to the Patriots for a 2023 third-rounder — described what transpired. According to ESPN Stats & Information, there have only been six intradivision trades in the NFL over the past five years.
“I chose to be traded here,” Parker said Thursday in his first interview since the April 2 deal. “My agent [Jimmy Gould] called me, just told me how the situation was and what options I had for the teams. First on my list were the Patriots. I’m just excited that we got it all done.”
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Dolphins general manager Chris Grier confirmed Wednesday it had gone that way, noting that Parker’s status on the team changed after Miami traded to Tyreek Hill following the signing of free-agent wide receiver Cedrick Wilson.
“When you have the opportunity to do the right thing for the player and the organization, both sides feel good. That was never something where we were [had] planned to trade with DeVante,” Grier said, highlighting how trading with Hill changed the momentum.
“Several teams called; the Patriots were the most aggressive. We worked with the agent, talked to DeVante, we wanted to be right with him too. Getting that third-round pick was very important to us. We were fine , if it was this year or next year.”
Parker, who played the first seven years of his career with the Dolphins, spent last week participating in the Patriots’ voluntary offseason program.
He said he enjoyed playing in front of Patriots fans as an AFC East rival and said it was one of the reasons he decided being in New England was “just something I want to be a part of.” “.
The 6-foot-3, 219-pound player added that he likes to play in a variety of spots, which is a staple of the Patriots’ offense and that he hopes to add an on-field presence that can highlight deliveries from Jones , the sophomore quarterback.
Parker previously worked with Jones in Tampa, Fla. for some time alongside Patriots wide receivers Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers.
“My impressions of Mac: He has a nice arm on him. He closed it up,” Parker said. “It was a great workout for all of us. It was good for me to come down early and throw with him to improve timing.
“Mac’s a good quarterback. The way he throws the ball isn’t difficult. He’s throwing a catchable ball. That’s something I’m looking forward to during the season.”