Mac Jones has left a positive first impression on new Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker

While the New England Patriots were putting the finishing touches on their trade for Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, a select group of their players including quarterback Mac Jones was working out in Florida. It did not take long for Parker to join them, and to gain some first experiences with his new teammates.

It appears as if that first get-together was a productive one. Answering questions on a media conference call on Thursday, Parker spoke highly of the workouts and the player right in the middle of them.

“The workouts were great, and my impressions of Mac: he has a nice arm on him, he was zipping it,” Parker said. “It was just a great workout for all of us. It was just good for me to come down and start throwing with him early, as soon as I can, to get the timing down. It was a good workout.”

A former first-round draft pick, Parker joined the Patriots after seven years as a Dolphin — including the final two catching passes from one of Mac Jones’ former college teammate. The wideout and ex-Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa hooked up 50 times for 621 yards and three touchdowns between 2020 and 2021.

Needless to say that New England is expecting to get more production out of the 29-year-old pass catcher. Time will tell whether or not that happens, but Parker is already working on it and building a connection with his new quarterback.

“Mac’s a good quarterback,” he said when asked his first impressions of Jones. “The way he throws the ball, it’s not tough. He throws a catchable ball that we should be able to catch — me and whoever else — and that’s something I’m looking forward to during the season.”

Jones is not the only teammate with whom Parker has been in touch so far. He also spent time with fellow wide receivers Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor as well as running back J.J. Taylor in Florida.

“The guys that I already met are great guys. They brought me in like I was family, something I love already. I’m just looking forward to get working with these guys,” he said.

“I watched film on them sometimes, so I could see what they’ve been doing: they block, they work hard. It’s just something that I wanted to be a part of.”

After the workouts at Agholor’s alma mater in Tampa Bay were over, Parker traveled to New England to participate in the first phase of offseason workouts. He is one of several players present at Gillette Stadium for the voluntary strength and conditioning program.