Dolphins add veteran receiver Snead, make another roster move

The Dolphins, who have a bit short-handed at receiver, signed veteran Willie Snead IV on Wednesday, giving them another option in the competition for a backup job.

Snead has 281 catches for 2445 yards and 16 TDs in nine NFL seasons.

But he has played in only four games each of the past two seasons, for San Francisco, and has two receptions for 14 yards over that time.

He has only six receptions over the past three seasons. His last start came for Baltimore in 2020, when he started eight games.

Snead, 31, caught 69 passes for 984 yards as a rookie for the Saints in 2015; he has never again reached that yardage threshold.

He had a career high 72 catches for the Saints in 2016 and went on to play for Baltimore, Carolina, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

The Dolphins have been without Odell Beckham Jr., who was seen running on the practice field but remains on the physically unable to perform list. River Cracraft appears to be nursing something minor. Erik Ezukanma was not seen at Tuesday’s practice. And rookie Tahj Washington is likely out for the season.

Though the odds are against the 5-11 Snead to snare a roster spot, he will compete with Ezukanma, Cracraft, fifth-round pick Malik Washington and others for a job behind Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Beckham and Braxton Berrios.

The Dolphins auditioned four receivers on Tuesday: Snead and Richie James (105 catches for 1372 yards and 7 TDs in five years with the 49ers, Giants and Chiefs); Jaylon Moore (mostly a practice squad player after going undrafted out of Tennessee Martin in 2020) and Xavier White, who had 39 catches for 556 yards at Texas Tech last season.

In a corresponding move, the Dolphins waived rookie defensive tackle Mario Kendricks.

The team was off Wednesday. Training camp practices resume Thursday.