The New England Patriots are making a move at wide receiver, but it isn't the one that many fans were likely hoping for.
DeVante Parker has agreed to a three-year, $33 million extension with the Patriots to remain with the team for the foreseeable future, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. The contract includes $14 million in guaranteed money and roster bonuses, Rapoport added in his report.
Sources: The #Patriots & WR DeVante Parker reached an agreement on a 3-year new contract worth up to $33M. The deal, done by Parker’s long-time agent and owner of Management One Jimmy Gould, also includes $14M in guarantees and per-game roster bonuses. Parker finds a home in NE. pic.twitter.com/0aEUVhZedU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 28, 2023
The Patriots acquired Parker ahead of the 2022 season from the Miami Dolphins, giving up a third-round pick in the trade to get him. Like many members of the Patriots' offense, Parker struggled to put up stats last season. He had 31 receptions for 539 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games, missing time in the middle of the season due to a knee injury and some more time later in the year due to a concussion.
Parker's extension comes as the team has reportedly been pursuing free-agent All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. It's unclear if extending Parker will impact the Patriots' pursuit of Hopkins in any way. Many speculated that Parker could have been the odd man out if the Patriots added Hopkins due to his contract. He was entering the final year of his deal and the Patriots could've cleared over $6 million if they released Parker.
However, Parker is remaining in New England and if the team signs Hopkins, it might not get rid of one of its notable receivers right away as it's already dealing with injuries at the position, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. Tyquan Thornton suffered a soft tissue injury during offseason practices and newcomer JuJu Smith-Schuster didn't participate in the team's offseason workouts as he's rehabbing a knee injury.
It's also unknown just yet how the Patriots' cap situation will be affected by Parker's extension. They had an ample amount of cap space prior to Parker's extension, holding roughly a little more than $14 million.
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