So much for the D.J. Fluker experiment with the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins put the former first-round pick on injured reserve, essentially ending his time in Miami.
Teams can bring back an unlimited number of players after three games once the 53-man roster has been established, but being placed on IR at this time means Fluker is done for the season unless the Dolphins let him go with an injury settlement and he ends up signing with another team.
The Dolphins signed Fluker, the 11th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, to a one-year contract in April after he had played last season with the Baltimore Ravens.
Considering he has played 108 NFL games with 96 starts in his eight NFL seasons, it made sense to think that Fluker could compete for a starting job for the Dolphins offensive line, either at left guard or right tackle.
But then Fluker started off training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list when he was put on PUP on Wednesday and then came the move to IR one day later.
DOLPHINS DEPTH AT GUARD AND TACKLE
The Dolphins still have a lot of options at the guard and tackle spots with the three 2020 draft picks — Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt and Solomon Kindley — as well as rookie second-round pick Liam Eichenberg, veteran Jesse Davis and veteran acquisition Jermaine Eluemunor, among others.
To take Fluker's place on the active roster, the Dolphins signed guard Ross Reynolds, a first-year player from Iowa.
Reynolds spent the entire 2019 season on the 49ers practice squad after arriving as an undrafted free agent, then was waived-injured in 2020 before landing on the Patriots practice squad. The Patriots waived him this past April 9.
He's the second young offensive lineman signed by the Dolphins this week, following guard Tyler Marz out of Wisconsin.
Reynolds and Marz both have to be considered extremely long shots to earn a roster spot.
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