Rishard Matthews Injury: Updates on Dolphins WR's Ribs and Return

Scott PolacekNov 30, 2015

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Rishard Matthews hasn't played since he suffered multiple rib fractures against the New York Jets in Week 12. He has been ruled out for the season.

Continue for updates.

Matthews Placed on IR

Saturday, Jan. 2

The Dolphins announced they signed linebacker Mike Hull off the practice squad and placed Matthews on season-ending injured reserve.

Injury Slows Matthews' Strong Season

This is a difficult blow for Matthews because he is attempting to establish himself as a dangerous receiver at the NFL level this year.

This is his fourth season out of Nevada, although he tallied only 135 receiving yards and two touchdown catches in 14 games in 2014. Matthews had never notched more than 448 receiving yards in a single season entering the 2015 campaign, but he appeared to turn the corner this season, posting 662 yards and four touchdowns.

He is not a huge speed threat, but he does come down with passes in traffic and can outmuscle cornerbacks for contested balls.

The silver lining for the Dolphins is the sheer number of proven pass-catchers on the roster who can shoulder the load in his absence. Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and tight end Jordan Cameron are all dangerous playmakers who can fill in for Matthews.

Landry was the leading returning receiver from last year for Miami with 758 receiving yards, Jennings boasts 10 years of experience and topped the 1,000-yard plateau three different times, Stills tallied 931 receiving yards last year and Parker is a 6’3” red-zone target with impressive hands.

What’s more, the Dolphins have a solid running game with Lamar Miller and quarterback Ryan Tannehill and will still be able to dictate tempo on the ground.

Matthews adds critical depth to the Miami passing attack, but there are still enough pieces in place to remain competitive in games until he returns.