O’Leary quickly joins tight end mix

DAVIE After being promoted from the practice squad on Friday, former Dwyer High School star Nick O’Leary quickly found himself in the Miami Dolphins’ tight end rotation on Sunday.

While O’Leary didn’t record a catch in Miami’s 27-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, he played 28 snaps — good for 41 percent of the team’s offensive plays — in his Dolphins debut.

O’Leary’s total was nearly as much as starting tight end Mike Gesicki, who lined up for 30 snaps (47 percent). Tight end Durham Smythe had seven plays (11 percent) against Cincinnati.

“[O’Leary] did well,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said Wednesday.

“He’s tough. He did a great job blocking. When we throw him the ball, he’s going to catch it. His effort was outstanding. He was throwing some blocks down the field. He got a 15-yard penalty called on him because he finished the play. I thought he did a good job.

“I thought it was a good mix with those three [tight ends]. We played all three of them and had different groupings for each guy. They did a good job.”

O’Leary, who starred collegiality at Florida State, spent his first three NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills, notching 32 catches for 473 yards and two touchdowns.

After joining the Dolphins practice squad in September, he was called up the 53-man roster after the team placed fourth-string quarterback Luke Falk on injured reserve.

For the former Palm Beach County high school star, Sunday will be a bit of a homecoming as he makes his Dolphins home debut against the Chicago Bears.

O’Leary said he grew up as a Dolphins fan, idolizing Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas and Ricky Williams.

After playing his high school ball just 70 miles north of Hard Rock Stadium, the 6-foot-3, 252-pound tight end said it’s exciting to sport the Dolphins colors.

“It was good being able to play for the home team,” O’Leary said.

Also rejoining the tight end mix is A.J. Derby, who returned to practice Wednesday after missing two weeks with a foot injury.