Dolphins sign a player, get two veterans back and leave home a captain
The Dolphins will have their leading receiver back from a head injury for Sunday’s game at the New York Giants. But they won’t have one of their top special teams players.
DeVante Parker on Saturday was removed from concussion protocol and was cleared to play on Sunday. Fellow Dolphins receiver Albert Wilson also was removed from concussion protocol, meaning the Dolphins now have six healthy receivers: Parker, Wilson, Allen Hurns, Isaiah Ford, Mack Hollins and Trevor Davis, who could take over as the primary returner.
Both Parker and Wilson went into protocol after sustaining injuries last Sunday against the Jets.
But Miami will be without one of its captains, Walt Aikens, who did not accompany the team to New York. Aikens leads the Dolphins with 309 special teams snaps. The Dolphins said his absence is not injury related but declined to give a specific reason.
The Dolphins rarely leave home inactive players unless they’ve been signed that week. So that would leave a personal reason or a disciplinary issue as a potential explanation for a non-injury absence.
The Dolphins also made a roster move Saturday, signing safety Montre Hartage and releasing returner Marcus Sherels, who had averaged 3.8 yards on six punt returns and 19.0 yards on three kickoff returns in five games as a Dolphin.
That leaves Davis as the most experienced returner on the roster. Davis, claimed off waivers from Oakland 10 days ago, was inactive last week against the Jets.
During his four-year career spent mostly with Green Bay and Oakland, Davis has averaged 10.6 yards on 53 punt returns and 22.3 yards on 54 kickoff returns.
Running back Myles Gaskin and Ford are other among other players on the roster with experience on returns in college or the NFL.
Hartage will give the Dolphins four safeties Sunday: Starters Eric Rowe and Adrian Colbert, plus Hartage and Steven Parker. Hartage played 20 snaps against Philadelphia in his regular-season debut on Dec. 1 but was cut soon after and re-signed to the practice squad.
Besides Aikens, new cornerback Trae Hayes also did not travel to New York. Hayes, an undrafted rookie from Appalachian State, was claimed off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
All of the Dolphins’ cornerbacks Sunday will be undrafted players: rookie Nik Needham, Jomal Wiltz, Linden Stephens and Nate Brooks.
This story was originally published December 14, 2019 at 11:45 PM.
