The jettisoning of Preston Parker today is quite intriguing. Parker is young (25), and had an inexpensive contract, a rather fresh extension through the 2013 season.
And Parker is coming off a 2011 season in which he had 40 catches, three touchdowns and was one of the more reliable targets in the NFL on third down.
Joe gets that Parker didn’t fit into the New Schiano Order after fumbling away his special teams value, and that the organization likely is higher on Jordan Shipley (55 catches in 2010), but Joe’s a bit surprised that the Bucs couldn’t find a taker willing to part with a seventh-round pick for Parker.
Joe suspects Parker will have a job real soon, regardless. And Sammie Stroughter might want to get back on the field immedately to secure his job. The Bucs now have six receivers on the roster, one more than they had on opening day.
As time passses, Joe suspects he’ll remember Parker most for explaining how a lack of barbecue sauce at KFC helped change his life.