Miami Dolphins: Could Parker be used as trade bait for offensive lineman?

If the Miami Dolphins trade for an offensive lineman, would they give up a current starter? Could it possibly be DeVante Parker?

There was a lot to digest after the Miami Dolphins played their first exhibition game of the season on Saturday. The contest was a tale of two halves, and depending on which media outlet you pay attention to, Miami looked excellent and terrible at the same time.

And that analysis wouldn’t be too far from the truth. The passing game looked improved as promised, and the defensive starters look as though they haven’t lost any momentum from last season’s vast improvement. But the one area that was the most worrisome for the Dolphins was their offensive line.

It was apparent from the start. There were a couple of plays in which quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was given ample time to go through his progressions, but other times he was dancing in a collapsing pocket, his legs nearly rolled up on by backward-falling offensive linemen. The running game was abysmal as well, as the backs were often unable to even make it back to the line of scrimmage.

While we of course should never overreact to any preseason game, the issue with the front line of the offense is a serious one. The big step forward that the Dolphins are supposed to take this year will never happen with a leaky line, and Chris Grier and company would be wise to address the issue before the start of the regular season.

One option is to trade for a veteran lineman. The Dolphins still have some capital left in their draft pick war chest, but they’re likely to hold on to their future first rounders unless there is an all-pro talent that becomes available. So could Miami give up one of its current 22 starters in order to bolster the O-line? What about a receiver?

What about DeVante Parker?

Much has been made about the crowded wide receiver room for the Dolphins. The unit is full of weapons, and the coaching staff will have to make tough decisions when it comes to choosing which ones to keep or cut during the next couple of weeks. Parker is certainly not one of the candidates for a training camp cut, but depending on the development of the other wide outs, there is a chance that he could become expendable (for the right price).

Giving up your WR1 during training camp, especially with a still-developing quarterback, is very risky. Parker was the Dolphins’ leading receiver last season, and his familiarity with Tagovailoa has only grown since last year. But the issues with the offensive line may be too large to overlook, and it may take a recognizable name like DeVante Parker to land a big fish lineman.

Depending on

which player Miami may choose to target

, getting rid of Parker’s salary could be a good step for the Dolphins going forward. They already have the

most expensive wide receiver room in the entire league

with nearly $45 million owed this year, and Parker is the highest paid out of any of them. He is owed over $12 million this coming season and will be owed nearly $18 million over the next two. There will come a time when Jaylen Waddle is due a payday, as well as any future acquisitions.

Would shaving a few million dollars off of the top of the money owed to the wide receivers in order to bolster the line be worth losing a weapon such as Parker? Depending on the incoming player and his contract, I’d say yes. The most important player on the offense is Tagovailoa, and making sure he is well protected should be one of (if not the) main priorities of the Dolphins’ front office.

But again, trading him would only be an option if the other pass catchers were able to fill his WR1 shoes. There are few weapons in Tagovailoa’s arsenal that have Parker’s size, and that could potentially present an issue down the road. He is not exactly a fan favorite, but he has worked his way back from potential first-round bust to legit starting wide out and reliable target. If he is used as trade fodder, then Grier had better make sure that the incoming lineman is worth his weight in fixing the problem.