Miami Dolphins News & Rumors

Injured Reserve Return Tracker

This offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.

In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 27 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. This introduces more strategy for teams, who will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.

All players designated for return on August 27 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Players who receive return designations after Week 5 also appear on this list.

Here is how teams’ activation puzzles look going into Week 12:

Arizona Cardinals

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Atlanta Falcons

Designated for return from IR (August 27): 

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Baltimore Ravens

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Buffalo Bills

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activations remaining: 6

Carolina Panthers

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

Chicago Bears

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 4

Cincinnati Bengals

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Cleveland Browns

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Dallas Cowboys

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Denver Broncos

Reverted to season-ending IR:

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Detroit Lions

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Green Bay Packers

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 6

Houston Texans

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 2

Indianapolis Colts

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Jacksonville Jaguars

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 3

Kansas City Chiefs

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 7

Las Vegas Raiders

Eligible for activation from IR:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Los Angeles Chargers

Designated for return from IR:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Los Angeles Rams

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

  • OL K.T. Leveston (practice window opened Nov. 20)

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 1

Miami Dolphins

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation from IR:

Eligible for activation from reserve/NFI list:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Minnesota Vikings

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New England Patriots

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

New Orleans Saints

Activated:

Activations remaining: 3

New York Giants

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

New York Jets

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Philadelphia Eagles

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 5

Pittsburgh Steelers

Designated for return from IR (August 27):

  • OL Dylan Cook (released Oct. 31)

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 4

San Francisco 49ers

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 4

Seattle Seahawks

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Eligible for activation:

Designated for return:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 5

Tennessee Titans

Eligible for activation:

Activated: 

Activations remaining: 7

Washington Commanders

Designated for return:

Eligible for activation:

Activated:

Activations remaining: 6

Dolphins T Kendall Lamm May Continue Playing After 2024 Season

Kendall Lamm contemplated retirement after the 2023 season, but he elected to remain with the Dolphins. Team and player agreed to a deal in April which allowed him to reprise his role as a swing tackle for one more year.

Lamm is a veteran of 113 games across his time with the Texans, Bears, Titans and Dolphins. He entered Week 11 with one start this year, giving him 38 for his career and 10 during his Miami tenure. The 32-year-old has been a valuable contributor up front for his current team, meaning an extended stay could be in the cards. That is a reversal of where things stood prior to the start of the campaign.

“When I said that [2024] would be my last year my grandfather had just passed,” Lamm told Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald“I wanted to spend more time with my family. But if we get towards the end of the year and I feel good we’ll keep it going.”

The Dolphins’ play up front has been consistent this season, one which has been defined by missed time on the part of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Remaining strong along the O-line will be central to Miami’s efforts to make a second half playoff push. Lamm could easily play his way into another deal as a top backup up front or, if needed, a spot-starter.

The former UDFA has not fully committed to playing in 2025, so his health and level of play over the coming weeks will be key. Lamm is attached to $2.5MM in compensation for the season, and another one-year, low-cost pact would not doubt be in Miami’s interest if it were to be possible. Family will once again be a central factor in Lamm’s decision this offseason with respect to whether or not he suits up next year.

The mental state I was in, the level of importance, [family] outweighed football,” Lamm added. “If I get to the end of the year and they still outweigh football you’ll never see me again. But at the end of the year if I talk to my grandmother, and talk to my family and they are OK, especially my grandmother cause she’s the oldest one, you might see me again.”

Dolphins’ Jevon Holland Expected To Land Contract Near Top Of Safety Market

Dolphins safety Jevon Holland may have priced himself out of Miami. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes in a subscribers-only piece, Holland is considered a top-five safety in the league, and the contract-year defender will be in high demand should he hit free agency in March. Miami is currently projected to be near the bottom of the pack in terms of cap space in 2025, so it is unclear if the club will have the wherewithal to keep him off the market.

Holland, 24, was selected by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2021 draft, and he has been an impact defender from the jump. In keeping with the league’s perception of his performance, Pro Football Focus graded Holland as a top-five safety in 2021 and 2023, and the Oregon product’s value is further bolstered by his versatility; he is capable of lining up as a free safety, in the box, or even in the slot.

He also boasts strong playmaking ability, as evidenced by the 23 passes defensed, five interceptions, five sacks, and five forced fumbles he has compiled in his career. He is still looking for his first interception in 2024 – he has missed one game due to a broken hand and another due to a knee injury – but the track record of splash plays he has established is a strong one.

The Dolphins were said to be interested in talking extension with Holland this offseason, though those discussions never gained much traction. The team prioritized new deals for some of the most notable names on its roster, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and Holland acknowledged back in May that his contract situation was not a top agenda item for the ‘Fins.

“I’m on the back burner,” Holland said at the time. “I don’t know much. I just work here. I just work here.”

Presumably, he will not be on the back burner for much longer. Although the safety market has stagnated at times in recent history, the lucrative deals that players like Antoine Winfield Jr.  and Xavier McKinney signed this offseason prove that there is still an appetite to pay top dollar for true difference makers in the back end of the secondary. Indeed, Fowler expects Holland’s next contract to check in between McKinney’s four-year, $68MM deal and Winfield’s four-year, $84MM accord.

That assumes that the Dolphins will not place the franchise tag on Holland. The tag number for safeties is projected to be over $19MM in 2025, and Fowler’s sources have suggested that, like former Miami defensive tackle Christian Wilkins this offseason, Holland may be allowed to test the free agent waters, where he might find a market too robust for the Dolphins’ liking.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/16/24

Saturday’s minor moves, including standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Toney is set to make his debut for the regular season. The former first-round pick out of Florida has had a rocky first four years in the league, despite coming away with two Super Bowl rings in Kansas City. He was signed to the Browns’ practice squad just after the season opener and will be eligible to see game action with Cleveland in Week 11.

O’Donnell was added to the 49ers’ practice squad earlier this week given the chance of Mitch Wishnowsky missing time. The latter is now on injured reserve, ensuring at least a four-game absence. O’Donnell, 32, is a veteran of 145 games but Week 11 will mark his first regular season action since 2022.

Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Dealing With Wrist Injury; No In-Season Surgery Planned

Tyreek Hill has missed notable practice time (but not any games) in 2024 as he deals with a wrist injury. The Dolphins All-Pro will consider surgery to address the issue, but nothing on that front will take place during the season.

Hill said (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) he injured his wrist in August, and it has worsened over the course of the campaign. The 30-year-old’s production has taken a notable step back in 2024 as he deals with the ailment; Hill topped 100 yards in Week 1 but has yet to do so in a game since. His 51.3 yards per game average is his lowest since his rookie season and a stark contrast to his league-leading 112.4 from 2023.

Part of that can, of course, be attributed to the time quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed while he was on injured reserve due to a concussion. Miami’s offense struggled as a whole with Skylar Thompson and Tyler Huntley at the helm, and the team sits 30th in the league in scoring. Increased output on Hill’s part could help in that regard, and he intends to remain on the field the rest of the way while managing the injury.

“At the end of the day, I just got to suck it up and just deal with the pain,” the eight-time Pro Bowler said. “It’s going to get worse the more I play, but I got to [gut] it out for my team. I’m here, I’m locked in no matter what, no matter how I feel…. Surgery was brought up and it was talked about whenever I talked to a few of the doctors, but it’s my call at the end of the day, and my call is to stay out on the field.”

The Dolphins sit at 3-6 on the year, so plenty of work remains for them to reach postseason contention. Improved efficiency through the air would be key in sparking a turnaround during the second half of the campaign, and if that is to take place Hill will no doubt play a central role. Expectations in his case could be lowered, though, considering the fact his condition will not improve until surgery takes place.

The five-time All-Pro agreed to a restructured deal this offseason which has a base value of $90MM over three years. The pact includes $65MM in practical guarantees, making his health over both the short and long term a key priority for the Dolphins. Nevertheless, any procedures aimed at healing the injury will be put off for at least a few more months.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/24

Today’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

  • Signed off Commanders’ practice squad: CB Chigozie Anusiem

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Claimed off waivers (from Eagles): TE Jack Stoll

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/13/24

Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Miami Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers continue to deal with injuries on special teams. As a result, they’re bringing in the 33-year-old veteran out of Miami (FL). O’Donnell spent eight years in Chicago as the Bears’ primary punter before playing a season in Green Bay. If Mitch Wishnowsky‘s back injury forces him to miss game time, O’Donnell could see his first NFL action since 2022.

Dolphins Waive LB David Long

The Dolphins made a somewhat shocking move by waiving linebacker David Long on Wednesday to make room for waiver claim tight end Jack Stoll, according to a team announcement.

Long was voted by his teammates to be a team captain in Miami at the start of the season, making his midseason departure a surprise after starting six of the Dolphins’ eight games this year. Anthony Walker took over Long’s starting role in the last two games, and the arrival of former Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson via waivers made Long surplus to requirements in Miami.

Instead, the Dolphins prioritized Stoll to add another tight end to their roster after Alec Ingold missed Monday night’s game with a calf injury. The 2023 Pro Bowler played 39% of the team’s offensive snaps when healthy this year, consistent with his usage since head coach Mike McDaniel‘s arrival in 2022. The Dolphins’ use of heavy personnel required them to add another tight end in case Ingold’s absence extends into Week 11.

Despite losing his starting job this season, Long could still draw interest on waivers from a team looking for linebacker depth. He was in the second year of a two-year, $10MM contract with the Dolphins signed during the 2023 offseason, per OverTheCap. Miami will eat a dead cap hit of at least $2.21MM – the 2024 prorated portion of his signing bonus – plus $444,444 in guaranteed salary if Long is not claimed off waivers. If another team claims Long, they will owe him $2MM for the rest of the year and the Dolphins will not be on the hook for his remaining guaranteed salary. If Long clears waivers, he will become a free agent and can sign with whatever team he likes, while Miami will have a $2.65MM dead cap hit on their books.

The Eagles waived Stoll on Tuesday to make room on their 53-man roster for the activation of left tackle Jordan Mailata from injured reserve.

Dolphins Designate G Isaiah Wynn For Return; Latest On OLB Bradley Chubb

The Dolphins received a tough blow recently, with Austin Jackson set for season-ending knee surgery. That continued an injury-plagued stretch for the team up front, but after a season-saving win over the Rams, Miami received some better news on the O-line front.

Out for more than a year, Isaiah Wynn is finally ready to practice. The Dolphins will designate the would-be guard starter for return from the PUP list today, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Wynn re-signed with the team this offseason but has been down since October 2023 due to a quad injury.

A former tackle starter in New England, Wynn came to Miami with little momentum due to an unimpressive Patriots contract year that also involved injury trouble. The former first-round pick, who missed his entire rookie season due to injury, caught on with the Dolphins and won the team’s left guard job entering last season. Wynn held that gig until his quadriceps setback, which removed him from Miami’s O-line equation seven games into the season.

The Dolphins nevertheless re-signed Wynn this offseason, giving him a one-year deal worth $1.89MM. This marked a slight pay cut after Wynn played for $2.3MM in 2023. Miami bid farewell to multiple long-term starters in March, with Christian Wilkins and right guard Robert Hunt becoming two of this year’s highest-paid free agents. The Dolphins, who also released Xavien Howard and Jerome Baker to reach cap compliance, made low-level moves — in re-signing Wynn and Robert Jones — following the Hunt defection.

Wynn, 28, has already missed half of his first two seasons with the Dolphins. It will be interesting to see if he needs a lengthy ramp-up period before returning to Miami’s 53-man roster. Pro Football Focus did not rate Wynn especially well as Miami’s LG last season, but he started all seven games he played. The Dolphins have used Jones as their left guard in Wynn’s absence. Jones has started all nine games at that spot this season, while Liam Eichenberg has manned the RG job post-Hunt.

While Wynn is moving close to a return, Mike McDaniel said Bradley Chubb is not yet ready. Also spending all of this season on the reserve/PUP list, Chubb is rehabbing an ACL tear sustained in Week 17 of last season. McDaniel said (via Jackson) linebacker Cameron Goode, who suffered a patella tendon tear in Week 17, is a bit ahead of Chubb in terms of recovery.

This is turning into a lost season for Chubb, who is signed to a five-year, $110MM extension that runs through the 2027 season. The Dolphins, who also saw free agency addition Shaq Barrett retire, are down Jaelan Phillips for the year as well. Anything they get from Chubb will probably be considered a bonus, but with the playoffs still a possibility, Miami certainly could benefit from a late-season Chubb return.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/12/24

Today’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

Bruss was waived by the Rams yesterday to make room for returning linemen Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson. A former third-round pick, Bruss didn’t make an appearance through his first two seasons in the NFL but started three of his eight appearances in 2024.