The Miami Dolphins have taken DeVante Parker off of the PUP list in training camp and now the wideout is hoping to be healthy for Week 1 of the season and this comes as Parker is looking to start alongside Jarvis Landry, Greg Jennings, Kenny Stills and Lamar Miller on offense for quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Tannehill comes in after putting up career numbers and he got a contract extension this offseason and now is firmly in place in Miami as the starter. According to NFL.com, Parker was taken off of the PUP list and the expectation is that he will start in Week 1. The team added Kenny Stills in a trade and signed Greg Jennings as a free agent and that came along with the trade of Mike Wallace.
The team has high expectations for the offense and after signing Ndamukong Suh, the team wants to make the playoffs. Tannehill should have more consistency in the run game and adding Stills could be huge if Parker can stay healthy.
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The Dolphins are expecting big things from Parker and according to the Miami Herald, the plan is to have the rookie play in Week 1 of the season. The Herald reports that Dolphins WRs coach Ken O'Keefe said that Parker will "play" in the first week if he is healthy and that he will have "shake the rust off." Parker was taken in the first round for the Dolphins out of Louisville.
The absence of Parker could give Rishard Matthews the chance to play a bigger role this season, as he had a disappointing year in 2014. According to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have interest in bringing in free agent Evan Mathis, but the team is not close to a deal right now. The Herald reports that Miami has kept tabs on Mathis this offseason, but that they would like to see how their guards perform in camp before adding another player to the mix. Mathis has also had interest from the Giants, Jets, Falcons and 49ers this summer.
Matthews had a down season with 12 catches in 2014 after putting up 41 receptions for 448 yards in 2013 and now he could get a chance to be a contributor with Parker on the sidelines for now. The team is expecting Parker to be back to start the season and he comes in along with free agent Jordan Cameron looking to make an impact. Tannehill was signed to a long extension this offseason and he is coming in after having a career year. Tannehill is hoping Parker can come back healthy, as he was set to take over for Mike Wallace in the offense.