The Dolphins keep adding receivers. The latest? A guy who hasn’t played since 2017.
The Miami Dolphins seem determined to bring back every wide receiver from their 2019 roster — even if that receiver never played a single down for the team last year.
The latest?
Ricardo Louis, who hurt his knee in spring ball and missed the entire season.
In fact, Louis hasn’t played since 2017, having sat out all of 2018 with a neck injury.
Still, the Dolphins saw enough of him then — and before his injury last spring — to give him one more shot.
The former fourth-round pick out of Auburn has caught 45 passes for 562 yards since entering the league in 2016. He appeared in all 16 games for the Browns in 2017, injuring his neck late in the season. The issue did not heal on its own, and Browns doctors deemed surgery was necessary in the summer of 2018.
As was the case when he signed around this time last year, Louis has a lot of company at the position.
Three Dolphins receivers signed extensions last fall: DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant and Allen Hurns. Plus, the Dolphins hope Preston Williams makes a full recovery from his own knee injury; Williams said last week that he’ll be ready for the season opener and didn’t rule out participating in training camp.
Then there’s Albert Wilson, who probably needs to take a pay cut to stay on the team, but based on how well he finished last season, his return shouldn’t be ruled out. And Isaiah Ford, who’s also under contract for 2020, impressed the team late in the season.
The Dolphins are so deep at receiver now that can all but ignore the position in free agency and the draft, and instead focus on greater needs like offensive line, running back, cornerback and of course, quarterback.
Louis will probably need to beat out Gary Jennings and Mack Hollins, among others, to make the team. And of course stay healthy.
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 6:51 PM.
