NFL Rumors: Miami Dolphins Look For Wide Receiver Help As Team Is Courted By Chad Johnson

The Miami Dolphins suddenly found themselves short at the wide receiver position following the recent opt-outs of Allen Hurns and Albert Wilson. The team will likely comb the free agency pool in order to bring additional competition into the receiver room, and as reported by The Phinsider, the club has a handful of options to explore.

Miami native and six-time Pro Bowl pass catcher Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson reached out to the organization on Twitter and offered his services, saying he resides just three blocks from the facilities.

“It’s convenient for both of us,” he said.

Johnson hasn’t played in the league since 2011 and few teams will want to be the one to take a flyer on him by reviving his NFL career, but it would certainly add a spark to a young roster looking to prove it can compete in the now wide open AFC East. The Phinsider’s Kevin Nogle noted there is a prior connection as Johnson spent part of the 2012 training camp with the Dolphins before being released following the player’s arrest on a domestic violence charge.

“It does not seem likely Miami would look to the 42-year old Johnson, but he cannot be completely ruled out, either. The Dolphins want to be a young, developing team, but two of their veteran receivers who would likely see a lot of playing time are now out for 2020. Adding a veteran who can immediately join the team and get up to speed on the offense might be a move Miami has to make.”

Nogle explained the Dolphins have plenty of other options at the position as well and named Josh Gordon, Chris Hogan, Demaryius Thomas, and Tavon Austin as some top potential fits.

Thomas, who played last season for the New York Jets after a prosperous career with the Denver Broncos that included five 1,000-yard seasons and a Super Bowl championship, is perhaps the most intriguing of those four. The 32-year-old red zone threat had a down year during his 2019 stint with New York but could offer a reliable set of hands for whoever is throwing passes for the Dolphins this fall.

Regardless of whether it is veteran gunslinger Ryan Fitzpatrick or the franchise’s 2020 first round pick Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins will need to bring in some additional talent at wide receiver in order to get the most from their signal-caller.

As it stands, Nogle had DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, and Jakeem Grant slated as starters at the position. After Parker, there exists a substantial drop off in production between the three, which highlights the need for the Dolphins to address the situation. In addition to the players mentioned in the report, they could also look into making a trade or wait for training camp final cuts around the league and sign a player from that pool.