The Miami Dolphins will be looking to upgrade their passing game this upcoming season after finishing the 2018 season ranked 30th in the NFL. The Dolphins averaged 181.2 passing yards per game and did not do much better with the run. The combined poor defensive showing showed evidence in their 7-9 final standings after starting the season 3-0. With Miami’s defense constantly on the field, it also was a proving in factor in how it struggled scoring points throughout the season.
The biggest issue Miami had last season was poor wideout play with no true No. 1 wide receiver. Head coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins’ management extended wide receiver Jakeem Grant off of his rookie contract Tuesday, but he is still not expected to take over the No. 1 role. In all likelihood, the job will come down to Kenny Stills or DeVante Parker. Miami acquired Stills from the New Orleans Saints a few years ago and it drafted Parker in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Kenny Stills
Standing at 6-foot, 1-inch and 202 pounds, Stills is the former fifth round draft pick by the Saints in the 2013 NFL draft. During Stills’ college stint with the The University of Oklahoma, Stills finished with career numbers of 2,594 yards on 204 receptions, with 24 touchdowns. Stills never got his feet wet with the Saints and was traded to Miami after the 2014 season. Stills finished his stint with the Saints with 17 games, good for 1,572 yards on 95 receptions and eight TD’s.
Since joining the Dolphins, Stills’ numbers have gone up and he has made himself a more well-known deep threat. In his 63 games played (55 started), he has 2,566 yards on 164 receptions and 24 TD’s. His numbers are good enough to have him slated as the No. 1 wideout on the official Dolphins’ depth chart.
DeVante Parker
Standing at 6-foot 3-inches and 216 pounds, Parker is the former first round pick by the Dolphins in the 2015 draft. Parker hasn’t lived up to the expectations many of the Miami fanbase was hoping for (and arguably coaching staff) and has not yet completed a single full season. During Parker’s college stint with the University of Louisville, Parker finished with career numbers of 2,775 yards on 156 receptions with 33 TD’s. While Parker does have more receptions in his NFL tenure (163), his receiving yards and TD’s are rather low. Parker has 2,717 yards and nine TDs. Many can say that Parker’s career has been nothing more than underwhelming at best.
With a lot of position battles still ongoing for the third week of preseason, Stills and Parker should be on that same watch list.
– Carl Mahler is a Sports Contributor for Full Press Coverage Miami Dolphins. Like and follow on Follow @C3Mahler Follow @FPC_Dolphins and Facebook.
