1 perfect Dolphins move to fill out roster before 2024 training camp

Sometimes in the NFL, teams need to play the game of historical blinders. They must look at a free agent and assess the player as if they will make it through a season — not without injuries, but with limited ones.

Such is the case for the Miami Dolphins, who have the opportunity to make one perfect move to fill out their roster before the 2024 training camp. The player in question is the injury-riddled Michael Thomas.

Wait, why are we talking about the receiver position for the Dolphins? Isn’t this a loaded team with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Odell Beckham Jr.? Yes. But while the top end is exceptional, the depth isn’t great.

And adding the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Thomas is the right move at this stage of the NFL calendar.

What would WR Michael Thomas bring to the Dolphins?

This move makes sense on many levels. First, Hill and Waddle aren’t the biggest guys for the position. And while Beckham is a little taller and heavier, he’s still south of six feet.

Thomas could provide a big body for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, especially in Thomas’ trademark third-down ability. And in certain matchups, against a smaller and faster defense, Thomas might even turn back the clock for a 100-yard game with a couple of scores.

The 31-year-old Thomas was a beast from the get-go with the Saints. He had 92 receptions and nine touchdowns. Over the next three seasons he actually increased his catches each year: 104, 125 and a shocking 149 during the 2019 — which still stands as the NFL record.

But injuries hit hard. Over the last four seasons, Thomas played in 7, 0, 3 and 10 games. His Pro Bowl days (2017-19) and AP offensive player of the year status (2019) landed as a silent movie in the rear-view mirror.

So why would Miami commit to Thomas?

They wouldn’t. Whatever contract he signed would likely be loaded with incentives. It should be written so that Thomas has to get on the field if he wants to make NFL money.

If he gets hurt and doesn’t play, the Dolphins cough up no more cash than they would for a journeyman backup. If he stays healthy and plays lights out, the Dolphins probably win a couple more games than they would have without him. And it’s worth the expenditure.

Tyreek Hill likes the idea. He jumped on X to say he would love to have Thomas in the Dolphins' camp.

Here's the bottom line for the Dolphins. They have one of the NFL's best offenses, a top-five unit heading into the season. But they have a weakness along the line of scrimmage. They lost two of their best blockers to free agency in Robert Hunt and Connor Williams.

Terron Armstead will anchor the win, but the Pro Bowl left tackle hasn't been a picture of healthy in his career. In 11 years, he's never made it through unscathed. Also, left guard Isaiah Wynn battled his share of physical woes last season.

This significant problem refocuses the need to sign Thomas. Big-bodied receivers who can provide a somewhat-open target in the short field when the pass rush is beating up the offensive line are valuable. The Dolphins don't currently have that luxury.

However, if Thomas could give them double digits in games played, he could be a difference maker. Also, because of their abilities of their top-end guys, the Dolphins could pick and choose when to play Thomas. They could allowed aches and paints to heal if the matchup allowed, and bring him back a week or two later in a higher-leverage contest.