Down their top three edge rushers due to season-ending injuries, the Dolphins are overhauling their outside linebacker group at an unusual time. Following the Justin Houston addition Tuesday morning, Miami will add two more edge defenders.
Bruce Irvin is signing with the Dolphins, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who adds the team will also bring back Malik Reed. The latter, a former Vic Fangio piece in Denver, had spent time with Miami earlier this year. Irvin will be added to Miami’s 53-man roster; Reed will join the practice squad.
Since Thanksgiving, the Dolphins have lost Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Andrew Van Ginkel. This situation reminds of Fangio’s Broncos tenure, which almost never featured Chubb and Von Miller available together. Those Denver teams never advanced to the playoffs, though. The Dolphins are facing a rare situation as they venture into the wild-card round. On the edge at least, the 11-6 team will roll out a cast of 30-somethings to pressure Patrick Mahomes on Saturday.
This is team No. 7 for Irvin, who resumed his career as a Lions auxiliary pass rusher this season. Irvin, 36, signed with the Lions’ practice squad in November and played in two games. The former Seahawks first-rounder registered a sack while playing as a P-squad elevation. The Lions moved on in December. Like Houston, Irvin cleared waivers and has been waiting for another chance. The Dolphins’ unique quandary will provide it.
Irvin has made a habit of in-season arrivals in the final years of his career. The 12th-year veteran joined the Bears in mid-November 2021 and re-signed with the Seahawks in mid-October 2022. Irvin and Fangio have not previously crossed paths, but the former did play under Fangio disciple Clint Hurtt in Seattle last season. Irvin also has a history of excelling as a rental piece. He totaled 8.5 sacks for the Panthers in 2019 and collected 3.5 in eight Falcons games in 2018. The Dolphins may well need Irvin, as rookie backup Cameron Goode suffered a torn patellar tendon during what became a brutal night for the team in Week 18.
A Fangio charge for three seasons in Denver, Reed reunited with his former coach in March. But the Dolphins released Reed just before cutting their roster to 53 players in August. He spent time with the Raiders this season, playing in four games and starting two. A Miller-Chubb sub in Denver, Reed totaled 13 sacks between the 2020 and ’21 seasons.
Reed, 27, certainly will represent youth on what is now one of the older OLB crews in recent NFL history. Houston and the recently re-signed Melvin Ingram are 34, while Emmanuel Ogbah — whom Fangio benched this season — is 30. While obviously not an ideal setup going into a playoff game against a defending Super Bowl champion, the Dolphins have gotten creative during this time of need.
On one hand – I hate the Dolphins. I always will.
On the other hand – I wanna root for Tua and Mike McDaniel a little.
I think this team went really hard after Buffalo this year, and it’s going to be really tough to keep this together next year. They still need to pay Tua and have so few players in the roster signed for 2024.
It looks rough right now signing street free agents to contribute in the playoffs. This may have been their best chance to catch Buffalo. It seems really unlikely.
For all the hype, injuries really hurt them. If this was their best shot – its gonna hurt Fins fans.
Nah they will be fine.
Injuries are an excuse for bad coaching and poor team selection. Miami gave up 48 to Buffalo in October and 56 to Baltimore on New Year’s Eve. Then gave away a winnable Week 18 game at home to Buffalo.
As with you I hate the bills as much as you hate the Phins. I went to Buffalo a few yrs ago and I had a drunk moron bills fan try and spit on my coat. At least I can say I been to Miami and the fans are alot more friendly. We actually talk to opposing fans. Miami shot themselves in a few weeks ago cause they could have put Buffalo away but they didn’t. Having 30 guys on the injury report would hurt any team. With 2 of the best edge rushers down that killed Phins D to some extent. It won’t be long before Miami is back on top in the league. They have some of the best weapons in the league!