Yarkbarkers

1. Dolphins to wear white throwbacks next season

   For the first time since 2003, the Miami Dolphins are going back to their glory years. The Dolphins announced on Saturday that they will wear their white throwback uniforms for a Week 2 game against the New England Patriots. @MiamiDolphinspic.twitter.com/pNxN0GqMlj— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) May 18, 2019 It’s the first time since Thanksgiving of 2003 that the Dolphins have worn these specific uniforms. It also coincides with Dan Marino’s 58th birthday. That’s some absolutely legit stuff right there.

2. OL Travis Swanson announces retirement, wants to spend more time with family

   Travis Swanson is calling it career. The offensive lineman announced on Instagram that he’s decided to retire, with the 28-year-old citing his desire to spend more time with family. The Arkansas product was a third-round pick by the Lions back in 2014, and he proceeded to play the first four seasons of his career in Detroit. He joined the Jets as a free agent last offseason, but he was cut prior to the start of the regular season. He quickly caught on with the Dolphins, and he proceeded to appear in 12 games (11 starts) as he filled in for injured lineman Daniel Kilgore. With Kilgore returning from injury and the Dolphins adding free agents (Chris Reed, Michael Dunn) and rookies (Michael Deiter, Isaiah Prince) this offseason, it was clear that Swanson didn’t have much of a future in Miami. “I decided to retire from the game of football,” Swanson wrote. “Those words are hard to write. However, I have a sense of comfort knowing Emily and I are walking away from this game with offers that were on the table. Thi

3. Dolphins place WR Ricardo Louis on IR

   The Dolphins have placed wide receiver Ricardo Louis on injured reserve due to a knee injury. Louis is not eligible to return and will not play in 2019.  The former fourth-round pick missed the entire 2018 campaign with a neck injury, so the latest setback is especially frustrating for the 25-year-old. The Dolphins signed Louis as a free agent in April, but he didn’t get to do much for his new team. In 2017, Louis enjoyed the best season of his young career with 27 catches for 357 yards with the Browns, a step up from his 18 grabs for 205 yards as a rookie. Originally, the plan was for Louis to compete for Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s targets with DeVante Parker, Kenny Stills, Albert Wilson, Brice Butler and others. Now, the Dolphins may look to add another veteran wide receiver to the competition.

4. Dolphins likely to sign former second-round pick Nate Orchard

   The Dolphins worked out edge rusher Nate Orchard today and are expected to sign him, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Orchard signed with the Seahawks in early April, inking a one-year deal with a club that has a history of taking chances on former early-round defenders (Barkevious Mingo, Dion Jordan). However, the 26-year-old was made redundant after Seattle inked fellow defensive end Ziggy Ansah, and Orchard was waived last week. Orchard comes with pedigree, as the Browns selected him 51st overall in the 2015 draft. An 11-game starter during his rookie campaign, Orchard has started only two contests since 2015. His last significant action came in 2017, when he played on 40 percent of Cleveland’s defensive snaps while grading as the NFL’s No. 68 edge defender among 123 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus. Last year, despite a valiant effort on HBO’s Hard Knocks, Orchard was waived by the Browns at final cutdowns, and subsequently spent time with the Bills and Chiefs. In Miami, O

5. Dolphins meet with veteran DE/LB Connor Barwin

   Veteran defensive end/outside linebacker Connor Barwin will visit with the Dolphins on Wednesday, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This marks Barwin’s first known interest since his official release from the Giants in February. The Giants first decided to part ways with Barwin in late January, but the move was not finalized until later on in the winter. Barwin hooked on with the Giants late last summer and, at the time, it seemed as though he’d have a significant role on defense. Eventually, his playing time dwindled. The 32-year-old (33 in October) appeared in 15 games but started in just three and had just one sack to his credit in 2018. Barwin’s best days may be behind him, but he has 56.5 career sacks to his credit and a whole lot of knowledge to share with the Dolphins’ younger defenders.