Training camp is barely underway, and the Miami Dolphins are already battling injuries at wide receiver. Miami’s top three options in Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller, and DeVante Parker are all battling some type of ailment, which is obviously not a good thing. Tua Tagovailoa will need some help if he wants to break out in Year 2, and the Dolphins might need to sign a free agent to improve the receiver depth.
It goes without saying that, at this point in the offseason, the free agent options are pretty limited. However, there are still a handful of proven veterans that might have a little something left in their tank. While these guys are anything but long-term fixes, they should be able to play a supporting role until the team returns to health.
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Miami Dolphins Free Agent Wide Receiver Options
Danny Amendola
Despite playing at an advanced age, old friend Danny Amendola is still a reliable slot receiver. During his final season in Detroit, the wideout recorded 46 receptions for 602 yards while averaging 1.92 yards per route, 30th-best in the league. He obviously played with Miami before, but he also played under head coach Brian Flores during his time with New England. Now, Flores was a defensive coach, so it’s not like Amendola is intimately familiar with Miami’s current scheme. That said, any type of familiarity is a good thing when adding players this late in the offseason.
Amendola is exclusively a slot receiver, which makes him a little redundant with Albert Wilson in the mix. However, with pickings this slim, the Miami Dolphins should just focus on bringing in good players and worrying about the rest later. Amendola is still a good player and probably the best option left in free agency.
Golden Tate
Golden Tate had a major drop in production last year, and it’s entirely possible that age has finally caught up to the one-time Pro Bowler. During his second season in New York, the receiver recorded 35 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns while averaging an underwhelming 1.32 yards per route and a 72.9% true catch rate.
It is far more likely than not that Tate simply doesn’t have it anymore, but the Dolphins could still use a warm body. In 2019, Tate finished the season averaging a respectable 1.87 yards per route. If 2020 was simply a down year, then Tate can still contribute as a depth receiver, at least until Parker, Waddle, and Fuller are all full strength.
GOLDEN TATE 😱 #TogetherBlue
📺: #AZvsNYG on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/tvMsTDEOAi pic.twitter.com/MhAIfr1klj— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2020
Dez Bryant
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. After being one of the most productive receivers in football, Dez Bryant has slowly turned into an NFL afterthought. The former All-Pro only played six games last year and finished the season with six receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns. This obviously isn’t that impressive, but it’s worth noting that this was his first time playing football in two years. Additionally, the fact that two of his six receptions went for touchdowns implies that he can still make a difference in the red zone.
Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon comes with an asterisk, as he is still indefinitely suspended from the league. However, Gordon applied for reinstatement back in early July with the goal of being ready for training camp, so the NFL should make their final decision any day now. If the NFL allows him to continue his career, Miami should definitely be interested in bringing him in. While he never managed to recapture that 2013 magic, he has shown flashes of being his old self in 2018 and 2019.
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