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
The belief was Carroo and Parker would be the ‘Thunder & Lightning’ of WRsYES, 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:
- Kenny Stills: 6’1” 196lbs
- Isaiah Ford: 6′ 2” 195lbs
- Jakeem Grant: 5′ 7” 169lbs
- Malcolm Lewis: 5′ 10” 194lbs
- Drew Morgan: 6′ 187lbs
- Rashawn Scott: 6′ 199lbs
- Francis Owusu: 6’3” 210lbs
- Albert Wilson: 5’9” 200lbs
- 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!!!
I totally agree about “not building around Parker”. I do however hope he has a decent year. If nothing more than the simple fact that his stock may rise a little, or at least not completely tumble. If that is the case, I would trade immediately, look for 2nd round pick and call it the day. I believe Carroo is in trouble and will not make the final roster. His spot goes to Morgan, Ford, or Scott. I was a fan of the trade/pick for Carroo. He is a physical freak for a WR, but something tells me that his practice habits need MAJOR improving for him to stick (hope I’m wrong).
Hey, brother. I think Parker could be serious this season. When I wrote the article I didn’t think to ask when was this event with Chambers? Was it last season? Parker has all the pressure to succeed with this and it is the last year of his contract. They can exercise the 5th year option at a pretty sizable price tag of course… but are we going to see the real PArker over the next 2 seasons? Or is it the contract years PArker? Carroo is a whole other story… Parker has produced, at least. Both of these players could be big boom or busts for the team building side of the Phins… Grant is looking very good though…
Hello Admin
Pertaining to our defensive line the Dolphins are probably in trouble this 2018 season.
I have nothing but Admiration for Cameron Wake Why? – Simply put the man earned it. Wake was undrafted and couldn’t get a try out by any NFL team. After a few years Wake was picked up by the CFL Canadian Football League with the Lions offered $48,000 a season only if he made the team. His immediate dominants winning CFL Rookie of the year and Defensive Player of the year award by leading the league with 16 sacks and the second season topping with 23 sacks then the NFL start calling having several NFL Teams to offer before going with the Dolphins achieving numerous of Pro Bowls the Dolphins.
He was undrafted!
http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/82368/cameron-wake-takes-unique-path-to-nfl
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.
This is really the Culture here in Miami (Excuses)
Another Bone head Dolphin Trade! No Way the Dolphins can get a second round picked for the Both? Just keep them a Dolphins for the long haul.
Restructure their contract base on performance only!
It’s A LOT of wasted bullets if either Parker or Carroo don’t pan out… if both don’t, then it’s a TON. I still think there’s a chance… but Parker concerns me as he doesn’t seem like the guy you should build around, but his talent might be tempting enough to make exceptions, and that could come back and bite Miami big time. Carroo has looked good in the games I’ve seen him in… not exactly sure what his problem is without seeing him day to day. Grant is a nice safety next and if he steps up big it will soften the blow a bit of a Carroo or Parker flop if he does well. Not enough to make all the hurt go away, but it does help. The trade was a swing for the fences and if it doesn’t work out, then it’s a huge black eye. They can rebound from it with a bunch of other good moves… this was a Tannenbaum special and I think the lack of movement in this year’s draft is a by pproduct of a bad trade in 2016. Howard trade up does look good though. If this year’s draft is half as good as I think it can be, then it will balance it all out. This is the year Steve… put up or shut up…
Dolphins Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier has a lot riding on this season. If Fins results are less than 7 wins they would Rightfully/justifiable warrant Stephen Ross moving on from them.
Because of the Losses and continue to not to reap any 1st, second or third round trades as of yet. You, Dunner and I can give away a 1st rounder for A fourth rounder right?
hahhahaa…. yeah, we could. 2018 is make or break…
Admin
We are taking some small positive developmental steps. Mean while Teams like the Eagles AND Patriots have this thing figured out.
https://youtu.be/k0-Twv8mouo
Gase is not there yet! A master of the game would not go into battle and (put every chip on one player this season) Base on the narrative!
Tannehill is our Guy! And allegedly two solid backup Quarterbacks.
The quarterback position has been a given since 2012. The Dolphins will not allow true QB competition and afraid to draft a challenging QB. You don’t get better without true competition.
Can Gase make the hard decision?
http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=22013427
Thi team tried to win out the gate and the pieces believed good ended up being inconsistent. This is a soft reboot. If the Off T step up this team will be excellent… if not trouble.\
I still believe Tannehill is good enough to be steady + and on occasion make big plays to win games. His deep ball is excellent and add in mobility and I’m good till we upgrade. His big mistakes though must stop. Even in 2016 he was making some game-turning fumbles from snap and such… if he can just limit them… Fales looks okay… Osweiler is just too inconsistent…
Admin I love your optimism:
The AFC East has essentially been run by the same team for over 15 years. The New England Patriots have dominated the division season after season, riding on the success of the most prolific quarterback this league has ever known and a head coach who always seems to be three steps ahead of the rest of the NFL. Taken from the Phinsider.
We can all agree that this Dolphins team has traded away all of their play makers for peanuts and the odd makers have us ranked just about dead last in the league before we play a game. I’m about 99.9 % convinced that we have all back up quarter backs on the roster, going into this 2018 season. Way too early but Tunsil and James are not sold into practice and attention details. Okay how many games will this cost us?