If you thought Miami’s wide receiver room wasn’t already jam-packed with talent this year, expect to be proven wrong. The Miami Dolphins signed veteran wide receiver Willie Snead IV and waived defensive tackle Mario Kendricks Wednesday. The announcement comes a week into training camp.
Dolphins Add Veteran Willie Snead IV to Loaded Receiving Core
Snead IV Heading Into Year 10
Snead’s experience in the NFL spans nearly a decade. The nine-year professional spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers under head coach Kyle Shannahan. Other teams that Snead has had a stint with include the Carolina Panthers, the Las Vegas Raiders, the New Orleans Saints, and the Baltimore Ravens. He originally started his career as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
Snead heading into his 10th season in the league has started in 48 of 103 games played, caught 281 receptions for 3,445 yards, and scored 16 touchdowns in his career. The 5-foot-11-inch wide receiver worked previously with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels when the coach was an offensive coordinator for San Francisco in 2022.
Short Time in Miami Is Over
Kendricks was signed onto the team after an impressive performance in rookie minicamp back in May. The Kissimmee, Florida, native spent his entire collegiate career at Virginia Tech. Kendricks became a leader on the Hokies roster late. The defensive tackle started in 20 of 56 games played, tallied 67 combined tackles, and sacked quarterbacks seven times throughout his college career. He’ll now be on the market to be picked up by an NFL team.
Dolphins Receiver Room Outlook With Snead
The wide receiver room for the Dolphins’ 2024 season already has little to no wiggle room. Pro Bowl receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are the undisputed pair to lead the group. Both receivers ended 2023 with north of 1,000 receiving yards. The inclusion of veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham also makes this a harder room for Snead to jump into.
Beckham opened training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list. He was seen running up and down the field Tuesday at practice away from the team. Beckham is expected to be an asset still for the offense, despite not being active in team drills.
This move by Miami also impacts the rookie receivers fighting for a spot on the team. Malik and Tahj Washington have not broken ground to grab attention early in camp. Tahj is currently on the injured reserve list while Malik’s best chances stand at special teams.
Potential for Snead IV
With a former history with McDaniels, Snead could be a possible tool for the passing game. However, the receiver didn’t find a lot of playing time on that offense. Snead appeared in just four games that season with no targets, or stats to record.
Potentially, the signing will result in an addition for special teams. For the past few days of camp, wide receivers Braxton Berrios and Anthony Schwartz have been the top two returners. Snead can make this role competitive at training camp and could find snaps in the preseason for special teams.
Main Photo: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports
