The Dolphins are among the teams with decisions to make about 2019 options for their 2015 first-round picks before May 3 and they’ve made their call.
According to multiple reports, the Dolphins have decided to exercise their option on wide receiver DeVante Parker’s contract. The option, which is guaranteed against injury only, will come with a salary somewhere north of $9 million.
If Parker plays out the year under the option, it will set the Dolphins up to make another call on the long-term future of one of their wide receivers. They used the franchise tag on Jarvis Landry this offseason, but wound up trading him to the Browns rather than keep him in Miami. Landry later signed a five-year extension worth up to $75 million in Cleveland.
Parker hasn’t matched the kind of production that Landry had during his time in Miami. Annual doses of offseason optimism about what Parker can do haven’t stopped him from missing time with injuries and his 139 catches for 1,908 yards and eight touchdowns had him firmly in a complementary role for Landry the last few years.
There should be more opportunities available for Parker this season and making good on them would go a long way toward making Parker’s stay in Miami a longer one.
UPDATE 4:11 p.m. ET: The Dolphins officially announced the move on Tuesday afternoon.