Dolphins have visit, may sign veteran safety Hooker
The Dolphins’ retooling of their safety room might not be done.
Three days after drafting Oregon’s Jevon Holland with the 36th overall pick, the Dolphins summoned veteran starter
Malik Hooker for a free agent visit, NFL Network first reported on Tuesday.
Hooker started 14 games for the Colts in 2018 and 13 in 2019 and intercepted two passes each of those seasons.
He started the first two games for the Colts last season and then tore an Achilles in a Sept. 20 game, ending his season.
The Colts selected Hooker 15th overall out of Ohio State in 2017 — two months after he underwent surgery to repair a hernia and a torn labrum. The injury problems have continued throughout his professional career; he has missed 29 games in four seasons.
The Dolphins already have seven safeties: starters Bobby McCain and
Eric Rowe, Brandon Jones (last year’s thirdround pick), Holland,
Clayton Fejedelem, Nate Holley and Brian Cole (who spent last season on the practice squad).
According to overthecap’s Nick Korte, the Dolphins are expected to receive a fifth-round compensatory pick in the
2022 draft as a result of losing defensive tackle
Davon Godchaux to the
— BARRY JACKSON
NFL elsewhere: New ●
York Jets standout defensive lineman Quinnen Williams broke a small bone in a foot during onfield workouts at the team’s facility. The thirdoverall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft will have surgery and will be out 8-10 weeks. He won’t be able to participate in OTAs or minicamp, but should recover in time to be ready for training camp . ... Denver Broncos right tackle Ja’Wuan James sustained a torn Achilles tendon while working out away from the team facilities Tuesday. A team source said James’ $10 million salary for 2021 is in jeopardy because the injury occurred off-site. James was a first-round draft pick of the Dolphins in 2014.
ETC.
Horse racing: Kentucky
● Derby favorite and fourth-place finisher Essential Quality will not run in the May 15 Preakness Stakes, but Derby champion Medina Spirit will face a challenge from talented stablemate Concert Tour as he tries to win the second leg of the Triple Crown. Trainer Brad Cox told Sirius XM Radio that Essential Quality, who went into the Derby undefeated, will rest and could point for the Belmont Stakes. He said Derby runner-up Mandaloun is still in consideration for the Preakness as is Caddo River, who scratched from the Derby field because of an infection. Meanwhile,
Medina Spirit’s trainer,
Bob Baffert, said Concert Tour will provide a fresh challenge to the Derby champion at Pimlico Race Course.
Soccer: Manchester
●
City moved a step closer to winning the UEFA Champions League by defeating undermanned Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on goals by Riyad Mahrez in the second leg of their semifinal for a 4-1 aggregate victory. The Blues, who are also on the cusp of the Premier League title, will play in their first Champions League final May 29 in Istanbul against the survivor of Wednesday’s ChelseaReal Madrid clash in London. They drew, 1-1, last week in Madrid . ... The Spanish league said it will investigate a gathering of Barcelona players at Lionel Messi’s home. Local authorities are also expected to check if any COVID-19 protocols were broken during the gathering. Spanish media said Messi invited his teammates and their partners for a barbecue ahead of a decisive Spanish league match next weekend.