HOUSTON, TX – DECEMBER 01: Will Fuller #15 of the Houston Texans looks to catch a pass in the end zone in the second half against the New England Patriots at NRG Stadium on December 1, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
A 2016 first-round pick is getting a second chance.
Former Texans receiver Will Fuller has agreed to a one-year contract with the Dolphins, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday.
The 26-year-old spent his first five seasons with the Texans, who selected the wideout No. 21 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. The Notre Dame product has dealt with a handful of injuries including a broken collarbone in 2017 training camp, a torn ACL in 2018 and lingering hamstring issues throughout his career.
Despite durability and consistency concerns, Houston picked up the Fuller’s fifth-year option ahead of the 2019 season. He entered the 2020 season as the Texans’ No. 1 option after teammate DeAndre Hopkins was traded before free agency. He was on a strong pace and caught 53 passes for a career-high 879 yards and eight touchdowns through 11 games.
The speedy wideout, who ran a 4.32 second 40-yard dash at the 2016 NFL Combine, missed the last five games of the 2020 season while serving out a six-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He will miss the first game of the 2021 season for Miami.
Fuller joins as a deep threat for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s arsenal of pass-catchers, which includes DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, Preston Williams, Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Lynn Bowden Jr. (among others) on the Dolphins’ depth chart.