The Miami Dolphins chose to overhaul its receiving corps this offseason. First, they shipped off wide receiver Mike Wallace to the Minnesota Vikings before allowing tight end Charles Clay to leave via free agency. Then, the team traded for former New Orleans Saints speedster Kenny Stills. But the coup de grâce was No. 14 overall pick DeVante Parker out of Louisville. Parker is the type of physical athlete that can develop into a No. 1 receiver for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Unfortunately, the Dolphins are unsure of when the two will finally be able to work together. Parker underwent offseason foot surgery and has yet to return to the field.
"It's hard to say; we're not sure exactly when he's going to get back. I don't know if he's going to practice? Those are all hypotheticals," head coach Joe Philbin told ESPN.
Parker has been working on the sidelines with trainers every day since training camp opened, ESPN Dolphins reporter James Walker reports. He has yet to partake in drills at full running speed but is walking fine without a boot.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald guesses that Parker could take the field in three to four weeks. But that would leave the rookie just two or three weeks of preparation time before the Dolphins open their season on Sept. 13. Given the slow recovery and limited prep time, Salguero doesn't think Parker will get a full game's worth of snaps in the early goings of the regular season.
"Two weeks ago, coach Joe Philbin sounded fairly confident wide receiver DeVante Parker would be ready in the regular-season opener, saying he just didn't know if the rookie would be available for 30 snaps or maybe 60 snaps," Salguero wrote. "And while there is nothing to suggest Parker will not be ready by then, the timetable now suggests if he is ready, it might not be for a full load of work against the Washington Redskins."
Tannehill received a lucrative $100-plus million extension earlier this offseason. A lot of the confidence placed in the still-developing quarterback stemmed from the new receiving weapons that would be at his disposal this year. But if Parker can't get on the field soon, Tannehill will have to find a way to justify the investment without his presumed go-to target.
