Carroo & Parker Uncertainy Demands ‘Other’ WRs Elevate… Just In Case

If Parker and / or Carroo stumble Miami stands to lose a trove of capital

The belief was Carroo and Parker would be the ‘Thunder & Lightning’ of WRs

YES, there’s a load of seemingly positive news for the Dolphins going into the 2018 Season… no snickering from the peanut gallery, please. If you ‘negative nelly’s’ end up dead on, there will be plenty of time to smack me around then.

At least up to this point, the only concerning news of late revolves around Leonte Carroo and DeVante Parker. The positive spin on this is that even if these players careers underperform to their talent, it won’t be a season breaker for 2018…

…But, if one, or both, fail, a whole lot of draft capital will be lost– A LOT. And that capital will need to be made up somehow, this year and beyond.

Parker cost Miami the 14th overall pick in 2015, and for Carroo, the Phins gave up a 6th, 3rd, and 4th in a trade to get him.

If you haven’t heard already, Carroo will have surgery on his knee to clean up loose bodies. He’ll be out of action until training camp… not great news for someone supposedly with one foot out the door. As for Parker, Chris Chambers recently had some concerning things to say about his professionalism. Whether Chambers take on things will be disproved or prophetic, we won’t know for a few months.

Carroo’s surgery and Parker’s ‘story’ may just end up on the pile of forgotten news.

But to be on the safe side, the Phins ‘other receivers’ need to step up… just in case.

Phins brass believe they have a load of talent at Wide Receiver

Miami’s other Wideouts in camp are:

1. Kenny Stills: 6’1” 196lbs
2. Isaiah Ford: 6′ 2” 195lbs
3. Jakeem Grant: 5′ 7” 169lbs
4. Malcolm Lewis: 5′ 10” 194lbs
5. Drew Morgan: 6′ 187lbs
6. Rashawn Scott: 6′ 199lbs
7. Francis Owusu: 6’3” 210lbs
8. Albert Wilson: 5’9” 200lbs
9. Danny Amendola: 5’11’ 190 lbs

Stills, Amendola, Wilson, and Parker (if he doesn’t get injured or totally bomb out) are the only ‘100%’ guaranteed to have a roster spot. Trades and injuries could change this, of course. So that leaves only 1 or 2 spots available. Given the change in kickoffs rules though, maybe the Dolphins will keep more receivers than big guys for Special Team. In 2017 Clyde Christensen stated, “…when it comes to a fourth and fifth wide receiver choice, special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has a huge input.” This new rule change could raise the usual number of receivers on a roster. But we’ll stick with the conventional 5 or 6 for this article.

I don’t see any way Parker doesn’t make the roster. He’s talented enough to produce, even if he isn’t sold out on being a pro. But will he be effective enough to keep in 2019? If not, it’s been a waste of a very valuable pick. It would take a mind-boggling performance at the backend of the roster to make Parker expendable for 2018. The likelihood of that is remote at best.

Carroo though is a whole other matter. With this conventional number, Carroo will realistically be fighting for these 1 or 2 spots with Grant, Scott, and Ford.

Roster spots will be tight… maybe too tight to keep Carroo

Given what you saw last season, the pay per head services believe Grant is the front-runner for one of these last two spots. Grant could play a very big role in a worst case scenario that Carroo or Parker underwhelm. Though short (okay, very short for an NFL receiver), Grant’s speed is blistering. Both he and Wilson can play outside and stretch the field and could mitigate a Parker flop or injury to a certain extent. Grant’s continued growth could play a sizable role in the success of the 2018 Season.

That leaves one spot left for Carroo to fight over…

Owusu is the only player who can make up for Parker’s size…

…while he’s a long shot, his size would make for an excellent Special Team’s player in the new kick off rules. Owusu is big enough to block and fast enough to be one of the three men back on returns. If Miami keeps 7 WRs I could see him getting a spot.

Morgan and Lewis will have the have the hardest time making the roster. Their skillsets in the slot are duplicated by Amendola, Ford, Wilson, and Scott.

Lewis is faster with a 4.58 sec. ’40’ to Morgan’s 4.79 sec. ’40’. But Morgan is the better route runner and has more short area quickness with a 4.12 sec. 20 yards shuttle compared to Lewis’ 4.59 sec. Likely the practice squad is their destination… but you never know.

https://youtu.be/JOYwc8j-Zgs

Rashawn Scott is an interesting case. He’s already made Carroo expendable in 2016, after being activated off the Practice Squad, making Carroo inactive. But Scott doesn’t even have one NFL catch in his career. So despite being a hard worker and favored by the staff, it’s difficult to believe he can beat out Carroo… if Carroo even has a moderate camp.

Receiver is a hard transition from college to the NFL… it can take a few years to develop

Isaiah Ford is a real wildcard. He is big at 6’2” and was ‘reported’ to have some flashes. But these flashes were never substantiated due to a knee injury. The potential is there for him to vie for a possession/middle of the field receiver. His biggest weakness is he doesn’t have experience in Special Teams. Even still, I see him as being a bigger threat to Carroo than Scott.

The 4-6 receivers spots need to not just make the roster but produce on offense and Special Teams.

Parker will without a doubt produce enough to be on the roster… if he’s healthy. Even if he ends up having only 1 more season in Miami as specialty players that’s fine. But if Carroo bombs and Parker’s contract isn’t extended, then Miami will have some depth issue at Wr going forward. Also, consider that Amendola’s contract is really a 1-year deal and he’ll be 34 next season. So in a worst-case scenario, Miami could have 3 holes to fill in 2019.

Again this is why Grant is such a big piece if Parker and Carroo aren’t in Miami’s future. Stills, Grant, and Wilson could be solid pieces going forward if one of the other backend WRs shows enough to stick.

It’s still too early to determine anything. Parker could be deadly serious and Carroo might finally blossom… I wouldn’t discount it in the least. If they did, then this receiver group would be outstanding… but it will take a little ‘see it’ for me to believe it. I just hope Miami has an ultra hard time figuring out which receiver to cut because they’ve all performed so well… just in case. Go Phins!!!