Dolphins Sign Will Fuller, See Super Bowl Odds Hold Steady at +2800

• Free agent wide receiver Will Fuller signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins on Thursday reportedly worth more than $10 million
• Fuller spent the first five seasons of his career with the Houston Texans
• A look at Dolphins’ latest Super Bowl odds and how they are affected by Fuller’s signing can be found below

Will Fuller had to wait nearly two full days into free agency before finding a home.

The 26-year-old wide receiver signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. The deal is worth reportedly more than $10 million.

After spending the first five seasons of his career with the Houston Texans, Fuller joins an organization on the rise. The Dolphins were 10-6 last season, doubling their win total from 2019. They weren’t favored to land the former Texan on the NFL Free Agency Odds, however.

The Fuller signing did not immediately change the Dolphins’  Super Bowl odds.

Super Bowl 56 Odds

Odds taken March 18 from FanDuel

Adding Explosiveness

Fuller fills a big Dolphins’ need as a receiver capable of making explosive plays.

The Dolphins were just 20th in the NFL in passing yardage last year as they transitioned from veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to rookie Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback during the season.

Preston Williams led Dolphins’ receivers with 16.0 yards per catch. However, he was limited to eight games because of injury. Second in that category was tight end Mike Gesicki at 13.3.

It boggles my mind that the Dolphins don’t use Mike Gesicki more often in the passing game he’s a WR trapped in a TE’s body pic.twitter.com/jItHDI2vLh

— Skyler Carlin (@skyler_carlin) December 7, 2020

As a team, the Dolphins averaged just 10.3 yards a reception, which ranked 26th.

Fuller set a career high last season with a 16.6 average. His career average is 14.9.

How Does Fuller Fit?

Five different players started at wide receiver for the Dolphins last year because of injuries to Williams and DeVante Parker.

Parker started 11 games and Williams was in the lineup seven times. Also getting starts were Jakeem Grant (four), Mack Hollins (two) and Antonio Callaway (one).

Parker was WR1 and had rather pedestrian statistics with 63 receptions for 793 yards and four touchdowns. Williams had just 18 catches for 288 yards, though he matched Parker’s four scores.

4th and 4 and Fitzmagic does it again! TOUCHDOWN DAVANTE PARKER pic.twitter.com/SUzhYk4iJs

— Overtime Heroics New York City (@OTHNewYorkCity) December 1, 2019

While Parker and Williams will be back next season, it is easy to envision Fuller surpassing both as Tagovailoa’s favorite target among wide receivers.

Availability an Issue

Fuller had the best season of his five-year career in 2020. The Notre Dame product caught 53 passes for 879 yards and eight touchdowns – all career highs.

The downside is he played in just 11 games as the Texans went 4-12 during a tumultuous season. Fuller received a six-game suspension from the NFL for violating its performance drug policy that covered the last five games of 2020 and will carry over into the 2021 season opener.

The ban ruined a fine season.

I still think about Will Fuller’s Thanksgiving Day performance.

before his suspension he was the #8 WR in PPR formats and his ADP in Aug. was 103.3 overall (WR 36) #LeagueWinner pic.twitter.com/7PltbozxJf

— Siegel (@Andrew__Siegel) February 19, 2021

Fuller said the suspension was for a medication he was prescribed that he thought was permitted by the NFL.

Availability has been a problem throughout the injury-plagued Fuller’s career. The 14 games he played as a rookie in 2016 remains his career best. In all, Fuller has missed 27 of a possible 80 games because of injury or suspension.

That will always leave the Texans wondering what might have been.

We do really need a full season of Will Fuller + Deshaun Watson.

Fuller was truly playing at his best before going down with injury last season; you have to hope for a full year of him and Watson playing pitch & catch. pic.twitter.com/ruH0SU2kNe

— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) May 21, 2019

Thus, Fuller’s career statistics are underwhelming. He has 209 catches for 3,110 yards and 24 TDs.

However, Fuller was never considered the Texans’ WR1 until last season because of the presence of DeAndre Hopkins. Fuller did play well in the feature role – when he was on the field, of course.

Signing Not a Surprise

That Fuller wound up with the Dolphins is not a surprise as they make it clear at the start of the offseason that improving their receiving corps and adding depth to a young offensive line were the top priorities.

Miami also wants to add help at running back to also take pressure off Tagovailoa and have been linked to free agent Chris Carson. Myles Gaskins was the Dolphins’ leading rusher last season and he had just 584 yards.

The Dolphins’ other significant free agent signings to this point have been backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett and defensive tackle Adam Butler of the Patriots.  Adding Butler effectively constitutes a trade as defensive tackle Davon Godchaux signed with New England after four seasons with the Dolphins.

Adam Butler is nice man. pic.twitter.com/GANs01bGCx

— Alejandro 🇨🇴 (@MiamiAlejandro) March 17, 2021

Miami has also added two depth players in wide receiver Robert Foster and cornerback Justin Coleman.

The Dolphins’ greatest opportunity to bolster the roster will come in the NFL Draft. They have two picks in both the first and second rounds, including the third overall selection.

While Fuller will help – if healthy – what the Dolphins have done in free agency is not enough to consider them Super Bowl contenders. However, it would be wise to check in again following the draft.