Getty Mac Jones delivers a pass.
W
ide receiver DeVante Parker spoke to the media for the first time as a member of the New England Patriots and had plenty of praise for his new QB, Mac Jones.
Parker comes to New England with a great opportunity in front of him. After being acquired in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, Parker will vault up to No. 1 on the Patriots’ depth chart and surely be one of Jones’ favorite targets.
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The two have had some time to get acquainted with one another as Jones held some throwing sessions with teammates at the beginning of April. There Parker got to see the quarterbacks’ arm up close and in person and it’s safe to say that Parker was impressed.
Parker met with the media for the first time since joining the team and had great things to say about Jones and his throwing ability.
“He’s got a nice arm on him,” Parker told the media. “He was zipping it. It was a great workout for all of us…the way he throws the ball, it’s not tough. It’s a catchable ball.”
Parker also added that great communication and timing are the most important factors between a quarterback and a wide receiver on the field. Getting work in before voluntary workouts even began surely help build chemistry between Jones and Parker.
Parker’s Strength
Parker will bring a new element to New England’s passing game. While the Patriots have some talented pass catchers in Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne, they play different games than Parker.
Meyers has excelled in the intermediate passing game. He is dangerous in the middle of the field and can gain separation off the line of scrimmage. Bourne is more of a speedy wideout who has the potential to burn corners. His longest reception of 75 yards displays just that.
Parker is a much larger receiver standing at six-foot three inches. Besides being tall, Parker has the athleticism to go up and grab balls over cornerbacks.
Parker talked about his ability to grab balls at their apex and make plays when speaking with the media on Thursday. He believes it’s the biggest strength of his game.
“High pointing the ball,” he said. “Getting vertical down the field. Doing whatever I can to help the team win.”
Building Stamina
Parker also stated that there is one area of his fitness that he focused on during the offseason. The wide receiver did a lot of running in order to improve his conditioning and durability.
Parker is coming off a 2021 season where he only appeared in 10 games. He has only appeared in 16 games once in his entire career. Parker missed time due to shoulder and hamstring injuries last season.
The new Patriots receiver will need that durability in New England. He is going to be a key part of the passing game and he also noted on Thursday that the Patriots’ offense features a lot of blocking from wide receivers.
But Parker will do most of his damage in the passing game so it’s a good sign that he thinks highly of Jones. With his ability to go up and catch passes, Jones and Parker could combine for plenty of touchdowns in 2022.