Dolphins GM Chris Grier on DeVante Parker: ‘He has epitomized everything we desire in a player’

The trade of DeVante Parker to the Patriots was made official on Tuesday.

As the trade of DeVante Parker to the New England Patriots became official on Tuesday, Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier thanked the wide receiver he had a hand in drafting back in 2015.

“From the day we drafted DeVante and he became a Miami Dolphin, he has epitomized everything we desire in a player — excellence on the field, a great teammate and a model citizen in the community,” Grier said in a statement. “We are thankful for everything he has given this organization over the past 7 seasons and wish him continued success.”

Grier, who was promoted to general manager in January 2016, served as Miami’s director of college scouting when Parker landed in the first round at pick No. 14 overall. The Louisville product went on to catch 338 passes for 4,727 yards and 24 touchdowns during his Dolphins tenure.

Over the course of 93 games and 64 starts, Parker finished eighth in franchise history in receptions and sixth in receiving yards.

“He will always be an important piece of our franchise history,” added Grier.

Miami acquired a 2023 third-round pick from New England in exchange for a 2022 fifth-rounder at No. 158 overall and Parker.

The 29-year-old wideout has two years remaining on his contract extension from 2019, when he set career highs with 128 targets, 72 catches, 1,202 yards and nine scores. Upcoming are base salaries of $5.65 million and $5.7 million to go with $100,000 workout bonuses and $500,000 in per-game roster bonuses.

Parker appeared in 10 games last season with the Dolphins, catching 40 passes for 515 yards and a pair of touchdowns while working through shoulder and hamstring injuries. He joins a Patriots depth chart that includes Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Ty Montgomery, N’Keal Harry, Kristian Wilkerson, Tre Nixon and Malcolm Perry.

New England’s 2022 offseason workout program begins on April 18.