South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
O’Leary agrees to extension with Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins and tight end Nick O’Leary have agreed to a one-year contract extension that will make him one of at least three tight ends on the roster heading into the 2019 season.
O’Leary’s deal is worth $1.5 million, with $500,000 guaranteed, according to the NFL Network. O’Leary’s representation, SportsTrust Advisors, announced the extension via social media on Saturday.
O’Leary, a former Florida State University standout from Palm Beach Gardens, has made an impact as Miami’s most consistent tight end this season after being claimed off waivers in Sep- tember.
O’Leary is the Dolphins’ best blocking tight end, and has caught seven of eight passes thrown to him and scored a touchdown in seven games this season. He was released by the Buffalo Bills, who drafted him in 2015.
“He keeps doing a good job in the run game. He’s been open in the pass game; the ball just hasn’t gone to him. He’s done a really good job,” Dolphins coach Adam Gase said of O’Leary earlier this past week.
“His blocking has really been strong for us, helped us in the run game a lot. His pass protection, the same thing. Whenever we throw him the ball, he’s reliable.”
O’Leary’s emergence has been vital for the Dolphins, who hope Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe can continue to develop during their rookie seasons.
Gesicki, a former Penn State standout, was drafted in the second round of this year’s NFL draft, while Smythe was taken in the fourth round out of Notre Dame.
Dolphins third-year tight end A.J. Derby has been hobbled by a foot injury this season, while sixth-year tight end MarQueis Gray is recovering from a torn right Achilles tendon suffered during the first week of the season.
Both Derby and Gray are free agents after this season.