Dolphins To Move DeVante Parker To IR
Although DeVante Parker made his return from injury in Week 8, the Dolphins will again be without the veteran wide receiver for an extended stretch. The team will place Parker on IR, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
This will sideline Parker for at least three games. The seventh-year wideout experienced a setback with his hamstring in practice this week. Parker had missed time due to a hamstring problem earlier this year but returned last week, catching eight passes for 85 yards against the Bills. This will leave Tua Tagovailoa without a key weapon in the near future.
Will Fuller remains on Miami’s IR list. The Dolphins’ hopes of outfitting Tagovailoa with a Parker-Fuller-Jaylen Waddle receiving trio have not materialized much this season. Fuller, who is currently down with a broken finger, has played in just two games for the Dolphins. Parker has suited up for five this season. The latter has 25 receptions for 327 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins have Parker signed to an extension that runs through 2023. Fuller is signed only through season’s end.
While the Dolphins not trading for Deshaun Watson bought Tagovailoa some time, he is still on an unusual timetable for a second-year player chosen in the top five. The Dolphins being the only known team for which Watson waived his no-trade clause makes them the clear favorites for the embattled passer in 2022, when talks are expected to resume. Tua continuing to be without key weaponry stands to affect his chances of impressing during this season’s stretch run.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/5/21
Today’s minor moves:
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed (from Bengals): DE Darius Hodge
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: OL Dakota Dozier
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: WR Dante Pettis
Dolphins GM Chris Grier On Deshaun Watson, Tua Tagovailoa
The Dolphins didn’t trade for Deshaun Watson, but they still made plenty of waves in the week leading up to the deadline. By all accounts, owner Stephen Ross was eager to bring the embattled Texans quarterback to Miami, but only if certain “contingencies” were met. In short, the Dolphins were only willing to trade for Watson if his legal troubles were put behind him. 
Meanwhile, GM Chris Grier was left to field questions about Watson, the future of young signal caller Tua Tagovailoa, and what it all means for the Dolphins going forward. Here’s a look at some of the highlights, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:
On the Dolphins’ level of interest in Watson:
“My job as general manager is to investigate every avenue on players that may or may not be available. I don’t think it’s any different from any player on the roster. We’ve done that from Day 1. That’s how every team operates. In terms of what discussions were had and what people asked for…We decided not to make a deal.”
On whether a deal was close:
“You go through these processes and talk through these things and we go forward with the team we have. We never got to a point of where anything would be realistic as far as happening.”
On Tagovailoa’s status moving forward:
“If there is a player considered one of the top players in the NFL, you have to look at it and try to go for it. It has nothing to do with not believing in Tua. We’re very happy with Tua.”
On the potential of renewing talks in the offseason:
“You get through the season and you keep evaluating the entire roster. Once the offseason comes, we’ll make decisions.”
Dolphins GM On Deshaun Watson Talks
After months of speculation, the Dolphins did not complete a trade for Deshaun Watson before the deadline. Multiple reports suggested that the two sides were closing in on a deal last week, but Miami GM Chris Grier tells a different story. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Back Out Of Watson Talks]
“We were doing background work and investigating everything,” Grier said (Twitter link via David Furones of the Miami Herald). “Just because we do that, doesn’t mean we’re going to do a deal.”
The Dolphins ultimately backed out due to concerns over Watson’s ongoing legal situation. Owner Stephen Ross wanted to bring Watson to South Beach, but only if his 20+ suits were settled. With that in mind, one reporter asked Grier if the Dolphins were involved in trying to get Watson’s accusers to sign non-disclosure agreements.
“I think any suggestion that this organization would be dealing behind the scenes and trying to influence decisions is absolutely ridiculous and categorically false,” Grier said. “So to say that we would be involved in that is just flat wrong. And it pisses me off, I’m sorry.”
Grier also added that the Dolphins’ interest in Watson is not a reflection on their current quarterback. He says the team still believes in Tua Tagovailoa, though that won’t do much to curb speculation in the spring.
At last check, the Texans were seeking three first-round picks and and two second-round picks for the embattled quarterback. That asking price could come down after the season if Watson’s off-the-field matters are settled.
Dolphins Will Not Trade For Texans’ Deshaun Watson
No deal. At least, not today. The Dolphins will not trade for Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson before the 4pm ET/3pm CT deadline, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross spent several weeks pushing his front office to get a deal done. However, he had “contingencies that needed to be met for any deal,” according to Schefter. Those contingencies likely pertain to the draft picks that would have been involved in the deal. The Dolphins reportedly wanted conditions to be attached to the picks in case Watson was held out of action by the league office. Texans GM Nick Caserio, meanwhile, has been unwilling to cave.
With that, the Dolphins will move forward with Tua Tagovailoa under center. That doesn’t guarantee Tagovailoa’s standing beyond 2021, but the young QB says that he’s made peace with the constant speculation.
“I don’t not feel wanted,” Tagovailoa said earlier this month (via ESPN.com). “I really don’t think about it. The only time I’m really hearing about it, like I’ve said before, is if [the communications staff] is kind of telling me what’s going on within the rumors or if my agent calls me. That’s really when I hear it. Other than that, I don’t really hear it.”
The Panthers, Broncos, and Eagles have also been connected to Watson in recent months. Watson, who holds a no-trade clause, tried to steer his way towards Miami or Carolina. After all the talk, the Texans are prepared to pay out the remainder of his $10.54MM salary and reevaluate their options in the offseason.
Latest On Potential Deshaun Watson Trade
We heard last week that the Dolphins and Texans had agreed on compensation for a Deshaun Watson trade. Days later, and the move still hasn’t been made. Miami reportedly wanted a bit more clarity on the passer’s legal situation before green-lighting a trade. However, there may be another explanation for why negotiations have stalled.
Per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, the Texans have “caught wind of the growing possibility that the 22 civil lawsuits” against Watson would be settled. Since there would be no legal uncertainty, the Texans front office raised their asking price. According to Florio, “the increased demands caused the talks to crater.”
The Texans have continually been seeking at least three first-round picks for Watson, and last week’s report indicated that Miami was willing to meet that part of the deal. However, the two sides were still negotiating the other pieces in the trade; Houston reportedly is also seeking multiple second-round selections. It’s uncertain if Watson’s legal clarity forced the Texans to double down on their asking price…or perhaps request even more.
The NFL has not interviewed Watson, and his deposition in the civil suit is not slated to occur until after Super Bowl LVI. This has created a gray area, one that sets up the unusual and optically problematic prospect of Watson playing for another team this season before facing a lengthy suspension in 2022. Watson is not expected to be placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, and Roger Goodell confirmed Tuesday night the NFL does not have enough information on these cases to place Watson on the list, via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
We’ll have a resolution on a trade (or non-trade) by tomorrow afternoon. It sounds like both owners are in favor of a deal; Texans owner Cal McNair wants to put the matter behind him, while Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has been one of the organization’s main proponents for a Watson trade. Meanwhile, Texans GM Nick Casersio is unwilling to trade Watson for anything less than what he perceives to be maximum value, and that could end up being the factor that prevents a trade from taking place by the deadline.
Teams Calling On Dolphins’ DeVante Parker
Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker is drawing trade interest, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. With the trade deadline coming on Tuesday, inquiring teams have just ~48 hours to get a deal done. 
[RELATED: Texans Unlikely To Trade Cooks]
Despite Parker’s underwhelming first four seasons, the Dolphins re-upped him twice. First, they locked him up through 2020 via a two-year, $10MM agreement. Then, towards the end of 2019, they inked him to a three-year extension worth up to $40MM. The jury is still out on the latest contract.
In 2020, Parker registered just 12.6 yards per catch, a sharp drop from his 2019 watermark of 16.7 yards on average. Through the first seven weeks of this season, injuries limited Parker to just four games, 17 catches, and 242 yards. However, Parker returned with a vengeance against the Bills today — as of this writing, he’s leading all ‘Fins WRs with eight catches for 85 yards.
Despite the health issues, Parker profiles as an intriguing playmaker for contenders in need of a mid-season boost. He’s also relatively inexpensive, since he’d only be owed the prorated portion of his $7.75MM base salary in 2021.
Texans Unlikely To Trade Deshaun Watson Before Deadline?
Despite reports that the Dolphins and Texans have agreed to compensation in a prospective Deshaun Watson trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says that, as of this morning, there is not much hope of a deal being completed prior to Tuesday’s deadline. Josina Anderson of CBS Sports HQ had reported earlier in the week that Houston was not feeling any pressure to swing a trade by the deadline and was content to wait until the offseason (video link).
Although Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants to see his team land Watson, he is said to want more clarity on the passer’s legal situation before green-lighting a trade. And, as Watson’s legal situation is rife with uncertainty at this point, Ross might not be comfortable in authorizing a deal that likely includes three first-round draft picks.
Schefter’s report also casts doubt on whether Miami and Houston are actually in agreement on the trade package. The ESPN scribe suggests that, in addition to all of the legal concerns, there are still lingering “compensation issues” that would need to be hammered out before a trade can be finalized. Indeed, GM Nick Casersio is unwilling to trade Watson for anything less than what he perceives to be maximum value. On the other hand, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reports that the Dolphins and Texans were close to a deal a few days ago, and that a trade was not consummated only because the ‘Fins want Watson to settle his legal matters first (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald on Twitter).
Of course, Watson theoretically could settle the civil suits that 22 women have filed against him, but he can’t control whether criminal charges are filed. Glazer’s report, though, lends credence to the notion that a deal will not be consummated within the next two days.
Meanwhile, Texans owner Cal McNair wants to put the matter behind him and would like to see Watson traded by Tuesday. But Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says McNair has given Caserio full authority to handle the situation however he sees fit, and if that means retaining Watson through the deadline, then so be it.
We also have an interesting nugget to pass along with respect to the Panthers’ involvement in this process. Schefter confirms that Watson did not waive his no-trade clause for Carolina — or for any team other than Miami — which is at least one reason why the the Panthers are not pursuing Watson in advance of the deadline (though other reporters have said an offseason deal could still happen if Watson remains with the Texans). However, there was speculation that a deal that would send Watson to Carolina would see star RB Christian McCaffrey heading back to Houston as part of the return.
Joe Person of The Athletic says McCaffrey was never part of the trade talks (Twitter link), and Schefter adds that Panthers GM Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule actually called McCaffrey on Friday night to tell him as much.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/30/21
Here is the Week 8 Saturday minor move blitz:
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: LB Daren Bates, LB James Vaughters
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: TE Kahale Warring
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: DE Darryl Johnson
- Promoted: P Lachlan Edwards, WR Keith Kirkwood
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: T Larry Borom
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DE Khalid Kareem, RB Trayveon Williams
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: CB Tim Harris, S Jovante Moffatt
Denver Broncos
- Activated from IR: LB Jonas Griffith
- Promoted: LB Barrington Wade
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: DE Da’Shawn Hand
- Promoted: S Jalen Elliott, TE Brock Wright
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: C Justin Britt
- Promoted: LB Hardy Nickerson, G Lane Taylor, OL Cole Toner
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: TE Kendall Blanton
- Promoted: DB Antoine Brooks, DB Tyler Hall
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: LB Vince Biegel, RB Patrick Laird, CB Jamal Perry
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: TE Luke Stocker, DE Kenny Willekes
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DT Daniel Ekuale
New Orleans Saints
- Activated after six-game suspension: DT David Onyemata
- Placed on IR: G Andrus Peat (story)
- Promoted: T Jordan Mills, WR Kevin White
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Jarrad Davis
- Promoted: LB Noah Dawkins, QB Josh Johnson, DE Jabari Zuniga
- Released: S Jarrod Wilson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: RB Jordan Howard, TE Richard Rodgers
- Activated from IR: S K’Von Wallace
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: DE Taco Charlton
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Tanner Muse
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DL Eli Ankou, FB Tory Carter, RB Dontrell Hilliard
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: C Keith Ismael, T David Steinmetz
Dolphins HC: Tua Tagovailoa To Remain Starter
Barring injury, head coach Brian Flores says that Tua Tagovailoa will remain the team’s starting quarterback (Twitter link via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). However, Flores also declined to come out and say that the Dolphins will not be trading for Texans QB Deshaun Watson.
[RELATED: Texans, Dolphins Agree On Deshaun Watson Compensation?]
Things seem to be heating up between the Dolphins and Texans, with the two sides reportedly agreeing on the trade essentials. Watson has also told the Texans that he would approve a trade to the Dolphins. Flores has shied away from Watson talk in the past, but owner Stephen Ross seems ready to overrule any objectors. Flores is also on the hot seat, so his pro-Tua position doesn’t necessarily mean much.
“I don’t not feel wanted,” said Tagovailoa this week when asked about the constant speculation (via ESPN.com). “I really don’t think about it. The only time I’m really hearing about it, like I’ve said before, is if [the communications staff] is kind of telling me what’s going on within the rumors or if my agent calls me. That’s really when I hear it. Other than that, I don’t really hear it.”
We should be hearing plenty about Tagovailoa, Watson, and all the moving parts between now and Tuesday’s deadline. If both QBs remain in place come Wednesday, Tagovailoa can expect the chatter to resume in the offseason.