DeVante Parker has been lighting it up at OTAs for the Miami Dolphins the past couple of weeks, but it seems his quest to become the No. 1 media darling and favorite target of franchise quarterback Ryan Tannehill is set to be put on hold for a couple of months.
According to several reports, Parker underwent surgery on his foot this week and will miss a significant portion of the offseason.
"Per team source, Dolphins WR Devante Parker has had foot surgery. Deemed a success, he's on track for Week One," Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk tweeted.
Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer of NFL.com confirmed the report shortly thereafter.
Per Breer, Parker had a screw in his foot replaced during the procedure.
Earlier this week, Dolphins linebacker Jelani Jenkins expressed awe at the display the athletic, basketball-bodied Parker had been putting on thus far in Miami's OTAs.
"He's an animal," Jenkins said recently, via Adam H. Beasley of The Miami Herald. "He goes and gets the ball wherever it is. He's aggressive. He knows how to use his body. I'm really impressed with him."
Backup quarterback Matt Moore said that he and Tannehill have also been impressed with the former Louisville standouts game thus far.
"Tannehill and I had a conversation about that after the first OTA - OTA number one - and I know the media was there that day," Moore said while appearing on the Joe Rose Show, via CBS Miami. "But it was like 'holy cow.' We went back and watched the tape and he's making all these catches. There's obviously things he needs to work on but the first thing that stands out to you is okay he catches the football and two, he makes it look effortless. He's very smooth.
"I think you can tell right away the kid's got it."
It's certainly good news for Miami coaches and Dolphins fans that Parker will be back by the season opener and that he's been making such a big impression on teammates already, but it can't be a good sign that the potentially electrifying wideout is starting his NFL career under the knife.
