DeVante Parker Epitomizes A Franchise Chasing Its Tail

M.J.

6 years ago

DeVante Parker’s AC Joint injury will likely keep him out for a while

DeVante Parker missed far more time in 2018 than he’s played… what else is new[/caption]

There’s no way Gase and Co. could have predicted DeVante Parker would injure his AC Joint. However, they should have known Parker would get injured in some way, shape, or form.

Parker has always been hurt. Why would it change now?

That’s why Parker needed to be traded by hook or by crook…

… But he wasn’t, and now Parker is on the bench again.

Miami’s staff and front office’s inability to assess players and situations is a ugly theme that stretches back decades.

Gase and Co. missed a slam dunk of an opportunity to maximize the positive from a bad situation. Instead, they decided to make a bet with the dice loaded against them.

Name a fan who didn’t predict this outcome? If we knew it, why didn’t Gase and Co.?

The Dolphins just signed 6’3” WR Bryce Butler to mimic Parker. They could have done the very same thing a few weeks ago and had an extra pick.

Hindsight is 20/20… that’s why they should have known Parker would get hurt.

Miami would have received as high as a mid-round pick for DeVante Parker. Whatever the pick, it would have helped offset the 4th Rounder used for Quinn or one of the picks wasted on Carroo.

No, it wouldn’t have been equal value to what Miami paid to draft Parker. But then again, zero isn’t equal either and that’s what they’ll get now. Unless Miami’s unhinged enough to keep the $8 million dollar tender on Parker and try to repeat their Landry trick this off season, Parker will play a couple more games (maybe) and leave with nada in return.

Sadly, this is just the tip of the iceberg to a more fundamental problem.

It doesn’t take great pay per head software like www.AcePerHead.com to know Parker isn’t an isolated case. It’s not a great mystery that Miami receives under value from far too many high priced draft picks.

Over the last 3 seasons:

2nd Round Pick Jordan Phillips was released for nothing.

2nd Round Pick Jarvis Landry was traded for a 4th and 7th. A trade a year earlier would have garnered a better deal. At least the very least, the drama would have been reduced.

3rd Round Pick Oliver Vernon lost Via Free Agency.

4th Round Pick Lamar Miller lot Via Free Agency.

Then add in to this equation top picks who are currently under performing:

2nd Round Pick Raekwon McMillan

1st Round Pick Charles Harris

3rd Round Pick Cordrea Tankersley

3rd Round Pick Leonte Carroo

2nd Round Pick Mike Gesicki

1st Round Pick Ja’Wuan James

1st Round Pick Ryan Tannehill

Then add a third layer of the total busts:

2nd Round Pick Johnathan Martin

3rd Round Pick Michael Agnew

1st Round Pick Dion Jordan

2nd Round Jamar Taylor

3rd Round Pick Dallas Thomas

3rd Round Pick Will Davis

4th Round Pick Jamil Douglas

This is far too many opportunities missed, received poor value in compensation, or aren’t firing the way their pedigree indicates they should.

No, you can’t hit on every pick. And yes, the Dolphins have managed to find some gems late and off the scrap heap that has saved them from being a complete disaster. Also, the last two drafts have been a slight improvement over previous drafts. Okay, I agree that some of these under performing picks may step up with more time. But the reality is right now they are needed desperately and they aren’t producing.

Despite all these caveats, Miami’s utilization of blue chips and the players produced from them is sub par.

This poor use of premium picks would make any staff struggle to win. Add in some of the worst injury luck over the last three season and you have a perfect recipe for disaster.

It’s surprising really that Miami is 5-5 at this point. It’s more amazing that a few plays going for Miami could of had them in a good position.

This isn’t to say Gase and his staff don’t have responsibility in their failure. Of course they are responsible because on too many occasions this staff has kept the wrong player playing for far too long. Without a doubt, Julius Thomas, Jay Cutler, DeVante Parker, Raekwon McMillan, and Jermon Bushrod are prime examples of the lack of vision on the player side. These failures are 100% on the staff.

The NFL is about talent and after that it’s about what you do with that talent.

This is why Parker should have been traded. Past mistakes need all the help they can get… even if it’s just a little. More importantly, Miami must start to show vision and the ability make wise decisions ahead of schedule at some point.

Nothing will change until the Dolphins stop believing every issue is a matter of ‘if we tweak this or that, make our run fits better, pick up what we left on the table’… ect.

Above all, building an NFL team is about vision. If the Front Office misses in acquisition then the Staff must act quickly in identifying the failure and move on from the mistake. If the staff keeps jamming a round peg in a square hole it’s on them… that is, until they get canned. But don’t worry, after that the Front Office will be next on the chopping block.