Jakeem Grant

I desperately wanted this section to be about a different Dolphins receiver. I want to be able to write about how this is the year that DeVante Parker *finally* lives up to his potential. The year that he finally puts everything together and becomes the receiver the team — and fans — thought he could be. I was a huge fan of the Parker selection in 2015, and I’ve been rooting for the kid ever since. I’m still rooting for Parker, but I’ve all but given up hope of him ever having a breakout in Miami. Could he live up to potential with a change of scenery? Maybe, but I don’t think he’ll ever live up to the promise in the aqua and orange.

With a ton of new faces in the Miami Dolphins receiver group, there are a lot of good candidates to take Parker’s spot as a potential breakout candidate. The team brought in Albert Wilson from the Kansas City Chiefs, a guy who I think can come in right away and have a career year. Wilson was always an after-thought in the Chiefs offense, but he’s someone I feel brings a lot to the table and gives the position some versatility that hasn’t been there in years. However, much like in Kansas City, Wilson is going to have to contend with an established #1 receiver, a potential star at running back, and a talented tight end for targets. That doesn’t bode well for breaking out.

I could also choose perennial thorn-in-our-side Danny Amendola now that he’s made the journey to South Beach. “Dola” is a guy I’ve secretly loved for years, and now I don’t have to hide my fandom, which is awesome. The unfortunate rub on Amendola is his history of injuries. It’s hard to peg someone as a breakout candidate when you know there’s a significant chance they’ll miss several games.

So which receiver will break out? We caught a glimpse of it towards the end of last season, and I’m hopeful that was a sign of things to come for Jakeem Grant. Grant has been one of my favorite players on the team since he was drafted, for no other reason than the long odds he faces to contribute in the NFL. Listed at 5’7″, Grant has faced an uphill battle for playing time his entire career. But, when finally given a shot last season, he showed he can be more than a special teams contributor. He has the skills to be an effective — if short — outside threat.

With the acquisitions of Wilson and Amendola, the potential of Parker, and the established skills of Kenny Stills, the Dolphins are rife with talent at wide receiver. If Grant can live up to the hype and put together a solid season, the Dolphins can have one of the best receiver corps in the NFL. All after jettisoning their top target, Jarvis Landry, in the off-season.

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