Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Receiver Ford gets promoted
A week after returning to the team that drafted him and then traded him to a division rival, the Miami Dolphins put Isaiah Ford back on their active roster Tuesday.
Miami elevated Ford up from the practice squad, signing the former Virginia Tech standout the Dolphins selected in the seventh round of the 2017 draft, to a contract that will allow him to finish the season with the team as Miami makes a push for a playoff spot.
It’s unclear if Ford signed a oneor two-year deal, which would carry him into the 2021 offseason. But what is clear is that the Dolphins’ injury-decimated offense needs the veteran slot receiver.
Ford, who Miami traded to the Patriots in October for a 2022 sixthround draft pick, was re-signed last week after New England waived him. The Dolphins called him up for Sunday’s 22-12 win over the Patriots.
In that game Ford played 53 of Miami’s 72 offensive snaps, and caught three passes for 18 yards in a game that featured the Dolphins playing without pass catchers DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki and Jakeem Grant.
“It’s been a little bit of an adventure to say the least, but the thing that I’ve tried to do throughout the entire thing was just to control what I can control and focus on getting a little bit better each day, whether I was in Miami or I was in Foxborough,” Ford said Monday. “So just trying to work on my craft and get better and learn as much as I can, and I’m just happy to be back now.”
Ford’s ability to play all three receiver positions, and his grasp of the offense is what allowed him to leapfrog Antonio Callaway on the depth chart. The Dolphins released the former University of Florida standout on Monday, opening up the roster spot they’d use to elevate Ford.
How much of a role Ford plays in Saturday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders depends on the health of Parker and Grant, who are both nursing hamstring injuries, and Gesicki, who is working to get past a shoulder injury.
The Dolphins held all three out of the Patriots game for precautionary reasons. All three were limited during Tuesday’s practice.
Injury update
The right knee injury offensive guard Solomon Kindley suffered against the Patriots kept him from participating in Tuesday’s practice, and could force him to sit out Saturday’s game.
Kindley, a rookie from Georgia who has started 12 games at both right and left guard this year has been battling a foot injury most of the season.
Ereck Flowers, who suffered an
ankle injury two weeks ago, continues to practice on a limited basis, and could possibly return to the starting left guard spot he held for the season’s first 11 weeks this week if his ability to move improves.
The Dolphins finished the Patriots game with Michael Deiter filling in at left guard, returning to the spot the former Wisconsin standout started all but one game at last season, and everyone from coach Brian Flores to offensive coordina
tor Chan Gailey praised Deiter for how well he played against New England.
It’s possible Deiter, a 2019 thirdround pick, could get another audition as starter. ...
Safety Bobby McCain (ankle), linebacker Jerome Baker (knee), safety Clayton Fejedelem (thumb), defensive end Shaq Lawson (shoulder), and linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hip) all had their practice participation limited.