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Wide receiver DeVante Parker has reportedly agreed to a new contract to remain with the New England Patriots, and the team is hoping to make the playoffs for just the second time in the post-Tom Brady era.
He may not be an elite wideout, but having him back will boost the team’s overall depth at that position, especially after they finished 19th in passing touchdowns and 20th in passing yards last season.
However, analyst Warren Sharp pointed out that in the last three seasons, he has finished last in wide receiver separation rankings.
pretty wild DeVante Parker stat
his WR separation ranking using Next Gen Stats player tracking data:
2022: #122 out of 122 WRs
2021: #127 out of 127 WRs
2020: #132 out of 132 WRs
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 28, 2023
As recently as 2019, Parker put up 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns, and it looked like perhaps he had reached a new level after never previously having as many as 800 yards in a single season.
But his production fell to 793 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 and 515 yards and two touchdowns the following year.
If there is a glimmer of hope for Parker, it’s the fact that he averaged an impressive 17.4 yards per reception in 2022.
After Jakobi Meyers, New England’s most productive wideout in 2022, left to join the Las Vegas Raiders, JuJu Smith-Schuster, who won a Super Bowl championship with the Kansas City Chiefs last season, will be their No. 1 receiver this fall.
They’re hoping Parker will pick things up a little and be their consistent No. 2 receiver all season long, and if he does, it could perhaps help quarterback Mac Jones, who is going into his third season, get to the next level.
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