Three things you have to consider about 2017- 1) Landry was targeted over 160 times- which averages to 10+ passes per game. 2) Our offense was about 50/50 last year on run/pass AND at the bottom end of the league for production. Landry received almost 50% of our team's total pass attempts- which left 10-14 throws per game for anyone not named Landry. Once you factor in check-downs to RB's, there's very little left for other WR's or TE's. 3) Cutler was our QB and he took the path of least resistance. He just wasn't looking for Stills, Grant or Parker downfield. That's why I've said numerous times that 2017 was a throwaway year- all the stats are highly skewed due to Landry/Cutler/Drake since they were the only real offensive weapons. Yes, Stills and Grant caught a few bombs but their numbers for the year are terrible- and nobody here is saying to fire Stills or Grant. So I don't see how anyone can point fingers at Parker's productivity either...he wasn't a factor because of how Cutler ran the offense. I think getting rid of Landry was one of the best moves we've made in the Gase era because of the trend to over-use him. That's not a knock on Landry or anyone else- it was simply a losing strategy because it ignored all our other offensive weapons. We either needed Landry running more of the route tree (IE, catching the ball past the first down marker) or we needed to throw it to someone else more often.
I kind of go back and forth with Parker. Isn't Gase all about having different body types, etc. to help create match up problems? Owusu has a similar body type and speed, but I don't think they are ready to give up on Parker just yet. The team just updated Gase's profile picture. I included it below. :-)
There is a contingent of players on the team that we use numbers and stats to disprove what our eyes tell us. RT QBR in the redzone. Its really good. Yet, our offense isn't in the top half of league in scoring points. DVP's starts to prove he's not injury prone and that's listed as our #1 WR, yet, not a single defensive game plan seems to be affected by him. Last week, someone posted an incredible catch by him, yet, the plays he makes don't seem to affect the outcome. I'd rather have Jarvis getting penalties, but taking a defender out with a viscious block than DVP's lackadaisical effort. Hell, I am so over Parker's dispassionate play, I'd rather have Dez Bryant. He'll show up and at least want the damn ball. There is a disconnect between stats and results with some on this team. Its a culture problem, and I quite frankly don't see Gase as the guy to change it. From time to time I think he's going to (cutting the two olinemen, trading Ajayi) but again, the results still suck.
RT's redzone stats aren't inconsistent with our offense being quite low in points scored because you have to get to the redzone first, and redzone stats don't tell you anything about how good you are at doing that. The Parker thing is harder. WR's operate as a group so I think you'll more often see a disconnect between any particular WR stat and what you think is a good WR. And looking at targets clearly isn't the only stat worth looking at. Yards per reception is probably better anyway and Parker isn't that high there for a #1 receiver (would fit more with intuition). However, over a career (so not over a few years only) there are very reliable statistical indicators of what people think are very good WR's and those are key volume stats: total receiving TD's, total receiving yards and total receptions. In other words, where you see WR stats align with intuition is when you look for consistent production across 1-2 decades. You can see the lists for yourself here (note all the Hall of Fame WR's at the top of those lists): https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_td_career.htm