The Miami Dolphins made a pair of moves aimed at bolstering its thin wide receiver corps on Tuesday. The team released Legedu Naanee and signed free agent Jabar Gaffney.
Naanee signed a one-year contract worth $700,000 over the offseason to compete for a starting job. He made one start in four games with the Dolphins, catching only one pass for 19 yards. On that catch, he fumbled the football.
In his previous five seasons, he amassed 107 catches for 1,213 yards with the San Diego Chargers and Carolina Panthers. Naanee had an impressive training camp with the Dolphins, earning the starting job.
But the elevation of Brian Hartline to rookie QB Ryan Tannehill's favorite target (as well as his own difficulties getting catches) made Naanee the odd man out in the starting receiver rotation opposite Davone Bess.
Gaffney, a 10-year NFL veteran and former standout at the University of Florida, worked out for the Dolphins during the preseason, but was not signed. He originally signed with New England over the offseason, but was cut during training camp. Last season he set career highs with 68 receptions for 947 yards with the Washington Redskins.
Gaffney has also spent time with the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos. The Texans took him with the first pick in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft.
For his career, Gaffney has 443 catches for 5,622 yards and 24 touchdowns. He has started in all or part of his ten-season career, but will likely be the Dolphins' third option behind Hartline and Bess.
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On Tuesday the Dolphins also cut defensive lineman Andre Fluellen and linebacker Mike Rivera.
