MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have promoted tight end Thomas Duarte off the practice squad, activated tackle Eric Smith off injured reserve and placed guard/tackle Jermon Bushrod and tight end DeVante Parker on injured reserve.
Duarte has spent all of the 2017 season on Miami's practice squad. He played one game for the Dolphins and was inactive for eight contests in 2016, spending the remainder of that season on the practice squad. Duarte was a seventh-round pick (231st overall) by the Dolphins in the 2016 NFL draft. He was a three-year letterwinner (2013-15) and two-year starter at UCLA, where he totaled 97 receptions for 1,626 yards (16.8 avg.) and 17 touchdowns.
Smith was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 3 after being inactive for the first three games. He originally joined Miami as an undrafted college free agent on May 5, 2017. Smith was a four-year starter (2013-16) at Virginia where he started 44 consecutive games to finish his collegiate career. He was the team's starting right tackle for every game from 2014-16 and earned Freshman All-American honors in 2013.
Bushrod started 10 games at right guard for the Dolphins in 2017, but was inactive for the past four games due to injury. He started all 16 games at right guard for Miami in 2016, his first season with the team. Bushrod joined the Dolphins as a free agent on March 11, 2016. He is in his 11th NFL season after also spending time with New Orleans (2013) and Chicago (2013-15). Bushrod originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick (125th overall) by New Orleans in the 2007 NFL draft.
Thomas played in 14 games with 12 starts for the Dolphins in 2017. He recorded 41 receptions for 388 yards (9.5 avg.) and three touchdowns. Thomas has caught 36 touchdowns since 2013, the third-most among all NFL tight ends during that span. He was acquired by Miami in a trade with Jacksonville on March 9, 2017. Thomas originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick (129th overall) by Denver in the 2011 NFL draft.
