Greg Hardwig: Gadsden glad to be back with Dolphins

He read and heard his days with the Miami Dolphins likely were over. It appeared that would be true.

That all changed Tuesday afternoon. The Dolphins finally called -- 10 games into the season -- and brought him in.

Wednesday, they signed their leading receiver from 2000 and 2001 for the rest of the season.

"I guess it would be 50-50, maybe 60-40," Gadsden termed his chances of coming back.

"And I try to stay as positive and as optimistic as possible. I'd see somebody from the team every week and they'd say 'stay positive, keep working.' And that's why I am where I am right now, because there were a few times where I was like 'Man, I'm just going to be a couch potato and hang it up.' "

Gadsden, who has caught 223 passes in 4½ seasons, took an injury settlement prior to the season after dislocating his ankle in training camp. That meant he wasn't eligible to return to Miami until after the 10th week of the season, although he could have signed elsewhere.

He worked out for Detroit and Arizona, but did not receive a contract offer.

"I was optimistic that I was going to play football again, but here I didn't know," said Gadsden, who was taking care of his 17-month-old son, Oronde II, in the meantime. "This season, it's already Week 11, it's getting kind of long in the tooth. So I was just doing daddy day care. I was running after my own."

So as well as passing on his knowledge to his young son, he'll be catching passes -- perhaps even this week -- for the Dolphins. It was a relationship that appeared to be finished following the nastiness of last season.

Gadsden tore a ligament in his wrist six games into his contract year. He said he would play if the Dolphins offered him a contract extension, then ultimately chose to have surgery, go on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season. Several veterans were disappointed that the Dolphins didn't offer Gadsden the extension.

"It's always hard to deal with when you know you can contribute, somewhere, somehow and I always felt that way," he said. "I knew because of the foundation that I have laid, I'm a niche type of guy. You won't see me returning punts or kicks."

After not receiving much interest in free agency in the offseason, he was back here with the Dolphins a month before training camp, signing a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.

The team had signed free agent Derrius Thompson, brought back 2002 draft choice Sam Simmons and drafted J.R. Tolver, and also had NFL Europe receivers Robert Baker and Kendall Newson.

But Thompson has been ineffective, Tolver has not impressed enough to suit up and Simmons mainly has been used as a returner. Newson was re- signed a couple of weeks ago after being released prior to the season, but doesn't provide the experience of Gadsden.

"I think the first thing they tell you when you come in as a rookie or a free agent is never take it personal," he said. "And so I haven't. I'm just here to help and reach our goal of the Super Bowl.

"I want to be here. I deserve to be here. So I'm happy to be here."

The Dolphins offense sure could use him.