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Miami Dolphins News & Rumors

2024 NFL Waiver Order

August 28th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Sam Robinson

Waiver claims can begin coming in at 11am CT. While the waiver order will depend on 2024 records in several weeks, teams’ 2023 finishes currently determine it. Here is how the waiver priority list stacks up heading into today’s round of claims:

  1. Carolina Panthers
  2. Washington Commanders
  3. New England Patriots
  4. Arizona Cardinals
  5. Los Angeles Chargers
  6. New York Giants
  7. Tennessee Titans
  8. Atlanta Falcons
  9. Chicago Bears
  10. New York Jets
  11. Minnesota Vikings
  12. Denver Broncos
  13. Las Vegas Raiders
  14. New Orleans Saints
  15. Indianapolis Colts
  16. Seattle Seahawks
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars
  18. Cincinnati Bengals
  19. Los Angeles Rams
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers
  21. Miami Dolphins
  22. Philadelphia Eagles
  23. Cleveland Browns
  24. Dallas Cowboys
  25. Green Bay Packers
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  27. Houston Texans
  28. Buffalo Bills
  29. Detroit Lions
  30. Baltimore Ravens
  31. San Francisco 49ers
  32. Kansas City Chiefs

Dolphins Reduce Roster To 53 Players

August 27th, 2024 at 9:42pm CST by Ben Levine

After two-straight Wild Card Round losses, the Dolphins are hoping to take another step forward in 2024. The team started prepping for a crucial campaign today, as they set their 53-man roster by making the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

  • LB David Anenih
  • WR Je’Quan Burton
  • S Jordan Colbert
  • DT Robert Cooper
  • WR Erik Ezukanma
  • WR Mike Harley Jr.
  • OL Chasen Hines
  • RB Zander Horvath
  • LB Dequan Jackson
  • WR Jadon Janke
  • CB Isaiah Johnson
  • OL Matthew Jones
  • CB Jason Maitre
  • OT Bayron Matos
  • WR Kyric McGowan
  • DT Leonard Payne
  • S Mark Perry
  • TE Hayden Rucci

Waived/injured:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the expectation is that long snapper Blake Ferguson will end up re-upping with the Dolphins, with his release solely being for roster machinations. The former sixth-round pick has spent his entire career in Miami, with the special teamer appearing in 67 games.

Nik Needham‘s stay in Miami has come to an end after five seasons. The former UDFA started 27 of his 61 appearances with the organization, although the majority of his production came in his first three seasons with the Dolphins. Between 2019 and 2021, the defensive back hauled in six interceptions, but after returning from a 2022 season-ending injury, he only got into 71 defensive snaps in 2023.

There was some hope that Neville Gallimore could provide the Dolphins with some defensive line depth when he caught on with the organization. The former third-round pick never clicked in Dallas, but he still got into 52 games in his four years with the organization. He collected four sacks and nine QB hits over the span, and he twice managed to top 400 defensive snaps in a campaign.

Dolphins To Leave Odell Beckham Jr. On PUP List To Open Season

August 27th, 2024 at 2:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Not expressing concern about Odell Beckham Jr.‘s status, Mike McDaniel will nevertheless see his preferred No. 3 wide receiver out of action for a while to start the season. Beckham is staying on the PUP list to open the year, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report.

The free agency addition underwent an unspecified procedure before signing with the Dolphins, according to NFL.com, and he will miss the first four games as a result. OBJ signed a one-year, $3MM Miami deal, but his role as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle‘s top sidekick is on hold.

Injuries have moved Beckham well off the superstar tier he once populated. Looking like a future Hall of Fame candidate early in his Giants career, the 2014 first-round pick saw a 2017 season-ending injury begin a run of health issues. Most notably, Beckham has suffered two ACL tears. The first ended his 2020 season; the second knocked him out of Super Bowl LVI and then led to his missing all of the 2022 season. While OBJ returned for a fairly productive Ravens season, the team did not prioritize re-signing him.

It remains unclear what injury Beckham is rehabbing. He played in 14 Ravens regular-season games and both playoff contests last season, hauling in 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Beckham played better down the stretch, but the Ravens kept his snap count in a reasonable range. Beckham, 31, played just 50% of Baltimore’s offensive snaps.

Beckham did battle a shoulder injury with the Ravens; he missed Weeks 3 and 4 due to injury but did not miss another game for health reasons. The Dolphins signed off on Beckham knowing about the procedure, so it is clear they are preparing a ramp-up period.

Miami wideout River Cracraft is also battling an issue, leaving the Dolphins shorthanded behind their high-priced starters. Braxton Berrios and Malik Washington, a sixth-round rookie, are healthy options behind the big two. Beckham will hope to take his place as Miami’s third receiver regular come October.

Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb, Isaiah Wynn To Begin Season On PUP List

August 26th, 2024 at 8:43am CST by Adam La Rose

As roster cuts take place, teams around the league also need to make decisions on players beginning the season on the reserve/PUP list. That designation confirms an absence of at least four weeks, and it will be used on several Dolphins in 2024.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said on Monday (via NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe) that edge rusher Bradley Chubb, offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn and linebacker Cameron Goode will begin the year on the reserve/PUP list. A final decision in the case of wideout Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to be made, McDaniel added. The other three players’ absences will be felt nonetheless.

Chubb suffered an ACL tear on New Year’s Eve, ending his first full season with the Dolphins. The two-time Pro Bowler has yet to return to practice, so today’s update comes as little surprise. Jaelan Phillips – who went down with an Achilles tear in 2023 – was able to get back on the field earlier this month, meaning he is in contention to be available for Week 1. Having Phillips in place at the start of the year would help compensate for Chubb’s absence, but the latter will be counted on to produce when healthy. Chubb has four years left on his contract.

Wynn inked a one-year deal with the Dolphins last season, one in which he was limited to seven games by a quadriceps injury. His level of play when on the field earned him a new Miami deal, and the former Patriots first-rounder is expected to serve as the team’s starting left guard when available. After an offseason featuring a slower recovery process than expected, Miami will need to turn to other linemen along the interior while also being without a depth option at tackle.

Goode joined the Dolphins as a seventh-rounder in 2022. The 26-year-old did not see any game action during his rookie campaign, spending the year on Miami’s practice squad. Last season, he suited up for all 17 regular season contests, logging a heavy workload on special teams. His absence will not have a major defensive impact, but the Dolphins’ third phase units will be shorthanded.

Beckham will not practice this week as he continues to recover from an unknown injury. Naming him to the 53-man roster after little to no time in team drills would carry notable risk given his status as the team’s No. 3 receiver, but a reserve/PUP designation would leave Miami’s receiver room shorthanded. That will already be the case at numerous positions given today’s news.

Dolphins Release QB Mike White

August 25th, 2024 at 11:06pm CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins have a winner in their QB2 battle. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report, Miami is releasing Mike White, which leaves Skylar Thompson as Tua Tagovailoa‘s backup.

Last year, it was White who prevailed over Thompson in the war to serve as Tagovailoa’s clipboard holder. At the time, that seemed to be a significant development, as Tagovailoa had yet to play a full season and was coming off a concussion-riddled 2022 campaign. Fortunately for the Dolphins and their top passer, Tagovailoa suited up for all 17 of the club’s regular season games and one playoff contest last year, so White only appeared in garbage time.

Thompson, a seventh-round pick of the Dolphins in 2022, made two regular season starts as a rookie in relief of Tagovailoa, and he nearly led the team to a playoff win over the Bills that year. That performance was not enough to stop the ‘Fins from adding White as competition in March 2023, inking the former Cowboy and Jet to a two-year deal worth up to $16MM.

Given that financial commitment, it is not surprising that White beat out Thompson for the backup job in 2023, but as ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques points out, neither candidate separated himself over the course of this year’s training camp. Thompson saw the bulk of the action in the club’s preseason finale against the Bucs on Friday, completing 19 of 27 passes for 190 yards, two TDs, and an interception (good for a QB rating of 99.3). White, meanwhile, completed five of nine passes for 37 yards.

Although Thompson was drafted four years after White, the players are just two years apart in age (Thompson is 27, White is 29). Thompson, though, is under club control through 2025 and will make just $985K this season. White was due a $3.5MM salary, and as Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network observes, his release will net the Dolphins $2.5MM in cap savings.

As they start working their way towards a 53-man roster, the Dolphins have also cut TE Jody Fortson, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/25/24

August 25th, 2024 at 9:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

With roster cutdowns beginning around the league, Sunday saw a number of moves take place:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Buffalo’s decision to cut Jones marks a blow to his efforts in finding a roster spot on a new team. Considering the latest report on his status, however, it does not come as a surprise. The Bills dealt with a number of injuries at the linebacker spot last season and Matt Milano will miss extended time in 2024 due to a biceps tear. In spite of that, the team will look elsewhere for depth options unless Jones is retained via the practice squad later this week.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/24/24

August 24th, 2024 at 8:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Miami Dolphins

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/20/24

August 20th, 2024 at 6:47pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Reverted to IR: LB Zeke Vandenburgh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Free Agent

Strong was a surprising release by the Cardinals during the regular season last year. At the time, Strong was coming off of his strongest NFL campaign, but head coach Jonathan Gannon claimed that the release was what was “best for the team.” While we still don’t know the nature of the suspension, or whether or not it’s even related to his January release, we are aware that he will miss three games.

DB Notes: Lassiter, Texans, Colts, Simmons, Davis, Lions, Chiefs, Dolphins, Hawks, Jags

August 20th, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans showed interest in re-signing Steven Nelson this offseason, but the two-year Houston starter ended up retiring. Houston has identified another clear candidate to start opposite Derek Stingley. The defending AFC South champions are prepared to roll with second-rounder Kamari Lassiter as their No. 2 cornerback. Not much drama exists here, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson indicating Lassiter has worked with Houston’s first-team defense since the offseason program. Although Lassiter sustained an ankle injury earlier during training camp, the No. 42 overall pick reclaimed his starter post — ahead of former first-rounders Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson — and will be expected to work in tandem with Stingley.

“For a young guy to come in and not be noticed a lot for doing something negative, everything has been positive with Kamari,” Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s exactly the guy we saw from the Georgia film.”

Here is the latest from several other DB situations:

  • The Chiefs still need to decide on a No. 2 corner opposite Trent McDuffie. Long known for moving on from corners after one contract (as they most recently did with L’Jarius Sneed), the Chiefs have a few options — most acquired in 2022. Fourth- and seventh-round picks from that draft Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson, who played extensively last year, lead the way. No one has seized the job, per The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, who has 2022 seventh-rounder Nazeeh Johnson, rookie sixth-rounder Kamal Hadden and former Cowboys second-rounder Kelvin Joseph making the team as well (subscription required). Versatile performer Chamarri Conner, a 2023 fourth-rounder, will be in the mix at corner, but Andy Reid said (via Taylor) this could be a rotation into the season.
  • Justin Simmons accepted a one-year, $7.5MM Falcons deal. That price being so far beyond what other veteran safeties commanded confirms a decent market formed for the perennial All-Pro. The Colts‘ questions in the secondary did not lead them into this chase, however, with the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins indicating the team did not make the ex-Bronco an offer. Former third-rounder Nick Cross, recently re-signed veteran Ronnie Harrison and third-year performer Rodney Thomas have rotated in alongside Julian Blackmon in camp. Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds said no safety moves are anticipated.
  • Seeing his three-year contract traded from the Buccaneers to the Lions, Carlton Davis remains scheduled to be a 2025 free agent. Davis will be 27 for most of this season, which should give him a decent market — should no Detroit extension be reached in the meantime — come March. A new agency will be representing the former second-rounder for his next negotiation. Davis is joining Athletes First, per a recent announcement.
  • Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller will start on the boundary for the Dolphins, with former UDFA success story Kader Kohou in place as Miami’s slot defender. Despite Cam Smith being a second-round pick, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes Ethan Bonner — a 2023 UDFA who has stood out in training camp — is the frontrunner to be Miami’s top backup CB. Bonner, who recently returned from a concussion sustained in camp, played only 11 defensive snaps last season. While Smith recently came back after missing nearly three weeks due to injury, ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques adds he is week-to-week after sustaining another injury against the Commanders. Despite playing 15 games last season, Smith only saw 20 defensive snaps.
  • The base value on Julian Love‘s second Seahawks contract checks in at $33MM, per OverTheCap. The three-year deal includes $11.97MM guaranteed at signing and dropped Love’s cap number by just more than $1.6MM. Option bonuses (worth a combined $4.8MM) are in place to keep the cap hits lower, with both Love’s 2024 and ’25 cap figures coming in at just over $6MM. Love’s 2025 base salary ($1.2MM) is guaranteed for injury and will shift to a full guarantee five days after Super Bowl LIX, ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson tweets.
  • The Jaguars‘ Tashaun Gipson reunion pact is worth $2.55MM, Wilson tweets. It comes with $525K guaranteed. The Jags will still be shorthanded at safety for a while. In addition to Gipson’s six-week suspension, Doug Pederson said (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco) Andrew Wingard‘s recent knee injury will sideline him for at least a few games.

Dolphins Sign RB Anthony McFarland Jr., Release RB Salvon Ahmed

August 19th, 2024 at 9:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the Dolphins continued to add at running back under Mike McDaniel, Salvon Ahmed kept waging successful battles to keep his roster spot. But the Brian Flores-era acquisition received word Monday he would be released.

During a busy day for Dolphins transactions, the team cut the fifth-year running back. Ahmed re-signed in March, staying in Miami on a one-year deal worth $1.29MM. The Dolphins did not guarantee Ahmed anything upon bringing him back, and the team made another key move at running back weeks after keeping the enduring former UDFA.

Mentioned as a release candidate before the trade addition of Jeff Wilson back in 2022, Ahmed managed to stick around despite the subsequent De’Von Achane draft choice. This year, however, the Dolphins traded up for Tennessee speedster Jaylen Wright. With ex-McDaniel 49ers charges Wilson and Raheem Mostert still around, Ahmed did not seem to have a realistic path to the team’s active roster. The team also rosters Chris Brooks, who arrived as a UDFA under McDaniel.

It would seemingly not be out of the question Ahmed — a Dolphin since 2020 — resurfaced on the team’s practice squad, but this early release would give him a shot at landing somewhere else. Most teams are not as deep as Miami in the backfield, pointing to Ahmed having another chance. Though, he does not exactly play a position on the right end of the supply-and-demand spectrum. A Washington alum, Ahmed rushed for 319 yards as a rookie but has not surpassed 150 in a season since.

The Dolphins are also adding at running back, signing former Steeler Anthony McFarland Jr. The 2020 fourth-rounder spent the past four seasons with the Steelers, working in a reserve role. McFarland, 26, has only topped 30 rushing yards in one season (2020, when he amassed 113). The Steelers used one of their eight allotted IR activations on the third-string RB last season but waived him later in the year.

Miami also signed fullback Zander Horvath along with linebacker Dequan Jackson and wide receiver Jadon Janke. The team placed Willie Snead and offensive lineman Sean Harlow on IR and waived linebacker Ezekiel Vandenburgh with an injury designation. Snead caught on with the Dolphins in late July, joining a team that placed Odell Beckham Jr. on the active/PUP list.

It does not sound like OBJ will come off the list especially soon, McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson). Beckham will not practice this week, per McDaniel. Teams to not have to disclose the nature of injuries before injury reports return ahead of Week 1, so Beckham’s issue remains a bit of a mystery.

While it does not sound like the Dolphins are overly concerned, Beckham certainly has dealt with a number of injuries. Health issues led to his tumble off the superstar tier, but the veteran wideout has remained a viable contributor. The Dolphins gave OBJ a one-year, $3MM deal ($3MM guaranteed) to be their No. 3 wideout.

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