Fuller Done for the Season

Veteran free agent acquisition Will Fuller V will not return for the Miami Dolphins in 2021
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It seemed to be trending that way for a while now, but it now has become official: Will Fuller V will not be returning to the Miami Dolphins lineup in 2021.

Head coach Brian Flores made the announcement Monday when he conducted his weekly day-after-the-game media session and was asked the obligatory question whether this was the week Fuller would return.

The high-profile free agent acquisition hasn't played since sustaining a finger injury in the 27-17 Week 4 loss against the Indianapolis Colts and being placed on injured reserve days later.

'Will's had some setbacks in his rehab," Flores said. "I don't expect him this week. I don't expect him back this season."

Fuller was signed in the offseason to a one-year contract reportedly worth $10 million and fully guaranteed. He will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason and it's difficult to envision the Dolphins looking to re-sign him.

Fuller will end up playing two games in 2021 — against the Las Vegas Raiders and the Colts — and finishing with four catches for 26 yards in 65 snaps. Perhaps the most noteworthy play of his season came in Week 3 against the Las Vegas when he was the target of a deep incomplete pass from Jacoby Brissett on a play where it looked as though defensive pass interference should have been called.

The Dolphins ended up settling for a game-tying field goal on that drive before the Raiders eventually won, 31-28.

FULLER'S SEASON

Fuller's forgettable season began with him having to sit out the opener against the New England Patriots to finish serving a five-game suspension he was assessed last season when he was with the Houston Texans.

Before the Week 2 game against Buffalo, Fuller left the team for a few days to deal with a personal matter before returning in time to make his Dolphins debut at Las Vegas.

When he was signed, the hope was that Fuller could bring a big-play dimension to the passing game, but that obviously never materialized. His four catches with the Dolphins went for 8, 10, 2 and 6 yards.

He was injured in the second quarter against Indianapolis when he tried (unsuccessfully) to catch a low third-down pass from Brissett.

From that point on, all that happened with Fuller were the regular questions about when he'd be back to help out the offense.

The questions can stop now.


Published
Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.