Spending most of the season shorthanded at their edge-rushing positions, the Dolphins are moving closer to having a significantly deeper group. They have Shaquil Barrettreentering the picture, and the hope of Bradley Chubb coming back before season’s end is not lost.
Chubb has not practiced this season. The former top-five pick has been rehabbing an ACL tear sustained late in a blowout loss to the Ravens in Week 17 of last season. ACL recoveries are different, of course, but nine- to 12-month timetables regularly form for players in recovery. As of October, no timetable was in place for Chubb’s debut. Chubb is nearing 11 months since his New Year’s Eve injury, and time is obviously running out for the 2022 trade pickup to rejoin the Dolphins.
Mike McDaniel nevertheless said he is optimistic Chubb will suit up for the team this season. The Dolphins have lost Jaelan Phillips to another season-ending injury, a knee malady that occurred not long after the team picked up his fifth-year option. Phillips’ Achilles tear in 2023 preceded Chubb’s injury, and the younger Miami EDGE came back in time for Week 1. Chubb’s road back has been much longer.
Via an extension finalized shortly after the trade with the Broncos at the 2022 deadline, the Dolphins have Chubb signed through 2027. No fully guaranteed money remains on his deal beyond this season, but a $10MM injury guarantee is in place. That would only be relevant if Chubb cannot pass a physical by the start of the new league year March 12. As of now, that does not appear to be a Dolphins concern. They presumably also want to continue with Chubb beyond this season, as they traded a first-round pick to acquire him and would owe $27MM-plus in dead money in the event of a release.
The recoveries of Phillips and Chubb prompted the Dolphins to draft Chop Robinson in Round 1 and sign both Barrett and Emmanuel Ogbah. The latter, whom the Dolphins cut early this offseason, has returned to start 10 games. Barrett, 32, coming back could change the Dolphins’ plans. It caught McDaniel by surprise, and the third-year HC said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) he will need to discuss the matter with GM Chris Grier. Barrett and Chubb were teammates on the 2018 Broncos; they soon could reunite, but it does not appear the 2019 NFL sack leader is a lock to rejoin the Dolphins just yet.
November 26th, 2024 at 12:27pm CST by Sam Robinson
Among the handful of safety cap casualties this offseason, Marcus Maye will join Jamal Adams and Eddie Jackson in being cut twice in 2024. The Dolphins are moving on from the longtime starter, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets.
This exit follows Maye’s Saints departure earlier this year, though it is not yet certain the Dolphins are ending this partnership for good. If Maye clears waivers, Pelissero adds Miami would like to keep him around via a practice squad deal.
Similar to the Broncos’ Greg Dulcichcut Monday, the Dolphins have roster space to clear in order to go through with an activation. Safety Patrick McMorris is set to fill Maye’s spot on the 53-man roster, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson adds. Miami designated Morris for return November 7, meaning he must be activated or moved to season-ending IR by Thursday.
A sixth-round rookie, McMorris will soon jump ahead of Maye in the Dolphins’ safety hierarchy. McMorris has indeed been activated from IR, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. This transaction leaves Miami with four injury activations remaining this season.
That said, the Dolphins still could elevate Maye from the practice squad — should the former Jets second-round pick clear waivers and stay with the team — to continue using him a supporting role in their secondary. Maye, who signed a one-year deal worth $1.38MM in June, played in all 11 Dolphins games and made three starts this season.
Perennially needing to carve out extensive cap space each offseason, the Saints released Maye after two seasons. He missed 10 games due to injury and a personal conduct suspension last season. This season with the Dolphins, the former franchise tag recipient made 30 tackles and forced a fumble. Pro Football Focus had viewed the 31-year-old defender as having a bounce-back year, slotting him 21st among safety regulars (over 293 defensive snaps). The Dolphins, however, have Jevon Holland and fellow cap casualty-turned-starter Jordan Poyer as their primary back-line duo.
Although a few of this year’s safety cuts are still with teams (Poyer, Justin Simmons, Quandre Diggs,Kevin Byard), Adams has not resurfaced since his Titans release while the Ravens cut Jackson this weekend. Adams’ former teammate in New York, Maye has made 80 career starts. A team to submit a claim would owe him just more than $400K for the season’s remainder.
November 25th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Adam La Rose
The Week 12 slate of games is in the books. For many teams, attention is increasingly turning toward the offseason with a playoff berth no longer in reach.
Plenty of time remains for the draft order to change over the coming months, and it will be interesting to see which teams wind up in position to add at the quarterback spot in particular. The crop of prospects for 2025 is not held in high regard after Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, meaning the demand for potential franchise passers is set to outweigh demand at the top of the board. Of course, players like Sanders’ Colorado teammate Travis Hunter will be among the ones worth watching closely as well.
The Jets have moved on from head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas, inviting questions about a reset under center as well. Aaron Rodgerswants to play in 2025, but it remains to be seen how his relationship with the organization will take shape down the stretch and if a new regime will prefer to move on at the position. The Giants, meanwhile, confirmed they will be in the market for a new signal-caller with Daniel Jonesno longer in the fold.
Teams such as the Raiders have long been mentioned as a team to watch regarding a rookie QB pursuit. Jayden Danielswas a target for head coach Antonio Pierce last spring, and it would come as no surprise if Vegas were to make a push for a long-term starting option this time around. Other franchises not on track to qualify for the playoffs figure to give the Raiders plenty of competition in that department, though.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:
With Blake Ferguson still injured and the Dolphins having used Tucker Addington‘s three promotions, the Dolphins are turning to a new long snapper. In comes Zach Triner, who is coming off a long stint in Tampa Bay. Triner ultimately spent five-plus seasons with the Buccaneers, getting into 81 games. He was cut by the team earlier this month after his replacement, Evan Deckers, returned from injury.
The Eagles are set to add K.J. Henry to their practice squad, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The 2023 fifth-round pick has already bounced around the league in his short career, spending time with the Commanders, Bengals, and Cowboys. He cleared waivers today after getting cut by the Cowboys this past weekend. The defensive end got into a pair of games for Dallas this season, and he’s collected three sacks in 17 career games.
Isaiah Wynn will make a return to an NFL active roster for the first time in 13 months. Down for over a year due to a quad injury, the Dolphins guard is back on the team’s 53-man squad.
Miami is activating Wynn from the reserve/PUP list and waiving offensive lineman Lester Cotton. Wynn had worked as the Dolphins’ left guard starter when healthy last season, but it has been a long road back for the former first-round pick. Because this is a PUP list activation, the Dolphins will not lose one of their injury activations. Only IR and NFI moves count against that total.
The Dolphins have now given Wynn two one-year contracts, the second of which at a slightly lower rate due to the significant injury sustained. Wynn re-signed with Miami for $1.89MM, factoring in an expected in-season absence. Like Bradley Chubb‘s, that absence has proven lengthy. Wynn has not played since Oct. 22, 2023.
Wynn, 29 next month, had not come to Florida with much momentum due to struggling during his New England contract year. Wynn nevertheless won the Dolphins’ left guard job out of training camp last year, playing opposite Robert Hunt. The latter departed for a monster Panthers contract this offseason, leading Miami to make adjustments up front.
Absent Wynn, the Dolphins have used the re-signed Robert Jones at LG and Liam Eichenberg at RG. It will be interesting to see if Miami deems Wynn a starter again or uses him as a swingman behind its current first-stringers. Wynn has worked as a starter for most of his career, though he has primarily played left tackle as a pro. Pro Football Focus grades neither Jones nor Eichenberg as a top-40 option at guard, slotting the latter in the bottom 15 among regulars at the position.
Cotton had been a swingman this season, playing in all 11 games as a backup. The Dolphins had rostered the ex-Raiders draftee since 2022 and likely would be interested in keeping him around on the practice squad, assuming the sixth-year blocker clears waivers. Cotton made eight starts last season, primarily filling in for Wynn after the midseason setback.
November 24th, 2024 at 12:54pm CST by Adam La Rose
The Ravens made a pair of moves leading up to the trade deadline. Wideout Diontae Johnsonwas added in a deal with the Panthers, one which was followed up by the acquisition of cornerback Tre’Davious White from the Rams. Baltimore’s efforts also included the pursuit of a familiar face along the D-line.
At one point, many – including the former Walter Payton Man of the Year winner – believed a deal would be consummated. If that had been the case, Campbell would have returned to Baltimore after he spent three seasons there from 2020-22. During that time, the 38-year-old was a mainstay along the D-line in addition to providing leadership qualities; replicating that in 2024 would have provided a boost along the defensive front to the Ravens down the stretch. Rapoport notes the trade would have seen a 2026 fifth-round pick head the other way.
Instead, Campbell remained in Miami (where he played in college) past the deadline. He has helped lead the Dolphins to two straight wins entering Sunday’s action, giving the team a 4-6 record. Continuing that momentum will be key if a postseason push is to be possible over the coming weeks. Miami ranks 10th against the run, a sign of Campbell’s continued effectiveness during the waning stages of his career.
As a pending free agent, he would have represented a valuable rental addition on the part of the Ravens as part of their own aim to make a deep postseason run. Campbell would have factored into a defensive line rotation including Nnamdi Madubuike, Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, Broderick Washingtonand Brent Urban. Especially considering the injuries that unit has dealt with in 2024, having Campbell available as at least a depth option would have been welcomed. Baltimore’s secondary has been a sore spot this year, but the team has exceled against the run even without him.
Campbell has started all 10 of his appearances in 2024, his first season as a Dolphin. With a 58% defensive snap share, he has handled a notable workload in Miami, and that should be expected to continue down the stretch (although Kelly notes the team has given thought to waiving him later in the campaign if the playoffs become out of reach). Retirement could again receive consideration after the season, but if he elects to continue playing Campbell could elect to re-sign with Miami in part due to McDaniel’s commitment to keeping him in place beyond the deadline.
Daniel Jonessaw his Giants tenure end due to poor performance on a four-year, $160MM contract — a deal that included a $23MM 2025 injury guarantee. The latter number led the Giants to bench their longtime starter, and Jones’ remaining base salary will allow him to clear waivers. A lengthy free agency stay is not expected.
While Jones is leaving New York after enduring a wave of scrutiny in the years following Eli Manning‘s retirement, other teams are on track to pursue him. This market could be crowded. In addition to rumored Vikings and Raiders landing spots, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter names the Ravens as an interested party. Teams’ Week 12 results are expected to influence Jones’ decision, Schefter adds.
Jones is believed to be interested in joining a contender, and Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz points to several teams outside the NFL’s purple bastions as potential destinations. The Lions, 49ers and Dolphins are also expected to pursue Jones once he hits the open market at 3pm CT Monday. Schultz also mentions Minnesota and Baltimore as teams who will be in the mix for a player who would check in as a high-end backup at the very least this season.
Further adding to what looks like a hot market (in terms of team volume, not price), CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones first mentions the Bills as a team many around the league point to as a landing spot. Other sources, however, have viewed teams like the Chargers, Broncos and Browns as being in this equation. We are now at nearly a third of the NFL, showing the value a high-quality backup could bring to a team at this juncture.
A landing with a contender makes sense, but Jones will also have a true market should be hit free agency in 2025. With Jonathan Jones noting a deal for the sixth-year vet now will be for the prorated $1.1MM veteran minimum — with the Giants still owing Daniel Jones $13.81MM in guaranteed 2024 salary — a team could get a jump on the QB’s 2025 market by landing him now. On that note, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds the Raiders are believed to like Jones as a player. With Las Vegas set to shop for a quarterback again in 2025, an early audition now would be a way to conduct a more thorough evaluation. That said, Jones having many potential options and seeking a contender now would stand to impede the Raiders here.
The Lions have seen Jared Goff display durability since missing three games in 2021, but the team is carrying only developmental second-year player Hendon Hooker on its active roster behind its recently extended starter. No quarterback resides on Detroit’s practice squad. Staying in the NFC North, Minnesota does carry two active-roster backups (Nick Mullens, Brett Rypien); Jones would mark an insurance upgrade — though, joining a system in late November will be a challenge, Joe Flacco‘s 2023 Cleveland surge notwithstanding — by comparison.
Jones will count toward the 2025 compensatory formula, as ESPN.com’s Field Yates adds, helping to explain the Ravens’ interest. Not only has Baltimore dealt with several Lamar Jackson absences in recent years, the team has long benefited from its interest in comp picks. Jones would be in position, depending on a team’s 2025 free agency activity, to net a club a Day 3 choice if he again switches cities come March. With the Dolphins having added Tyler Huntley off the Ravens’ practice squad earlier this season, 38-year-old Josh Johnson stands as Jackson’s top backup.
Miami has obviously dealt with more concerning health issues with its starter, with Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion trouble set to be a central storyline in Miami for the foreseeable future. Huntley is on IR, leaving Skylar Thompson — who proved overmatched when given the keys earlier this season — as the team’s only backup on its 53-man roster. The Bills have Mitch Trubisky as Josh Allen insurance, though the MVP frontrunner has not needed such protection due to a durable run. Allen’s run-game usage, however, invites risk, and many within the league view Buffalo — thanks to Brian Daboll having brought the Bills’ system to the Big Apple — as a live option here.
While Jones would upgrade the Broncos’ QB room, Sean Payton tampering with what has become a promising Bo Nix setup would be an interesting dice roll. The Chargers also obtained Taylor Heinicke via trade to bolster their depth chart behind Justin Herbert. The AFC West clubs are contending teams, however, presenting a draw the Raiders currently do not. Las Vegas does bring a wild card as a team that could use an immediate starter, thanks to Antonio Pierce‘s Gardner Minshew benching habit.
Lastly, the 49ers would offer considerable intrigue due to Brock Purdy‘s shoulder injury. The team ruled out Purdy for Week 12, though the blossoming starter is in play to return in Week 13. Jones, 27, would still stand to be interested in joining Kyle Shanahan‘s team due to the coach’s play-calling acumen. Following the likes of Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold as a late-season addition who parlayed a West Coast Offense stopover into a future starting role would naturally appeal, and Jones would in turn give San Francisco more cover than Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs.
The Giants would pick up a small offset based on Jones’ vet-minimum salary this year, but they will still be on the hook to see all $22.2MM of his through-2026 contract hit the books next year. As Tommy DeVito prepares to return to New York’s starting lineup, the Jones market has become an interesting storyline. One team will receive an unexpected upgrade soon, with another Jones free agency trip likely come March.
November 22nd, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson
Late-season collapses certainly occur, with injuries obviously playing key roles in contenders’ blueprints. As it stands now, however, the AFC playoff picture is top-heavy. It is quite possible the stretch run will feature division leaders jockeying for seeding and two wild-card teams hovering over the race for the bottom bracket slot.
ESPN’s FPI gives the Chargers a 94.7% chance to make the playoffs, with the AFC North holding a strong likelihood of producing a wild-card squad as well. Both the Steelers and Ravens’ chances sit north of 95%. Although the volume of sub-.500 AFC teams could drain drama from this year’s fight to wear white in Round 1, the conference does have a handful of teams on the fringe who appear poised for a battle to claim the No. 7 seed.
Six AFC teams have eight or nine losses entering Week 12. While the 2008 Chargers started 5-8 and erased a three-game division deficit with three to play, the odds are stacked against the conference’s bottom tier (Patriots, Jets, Browns, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders). This leaves four teams in between.
The Broncos have not made a postseason appearance since winning Super Bowl 50. Considering the Russell Wilson release brought a two-offseason dead money number unlike anything the NFL has seen, Denver snapping that drought this year was not expected. Wilson counts for $53MM on Denver’s 2024 payroll, with the club taking on the larger portion of the dead money this year ($30MM-plus is on the books for next year, as a small cap credit from the QB’s Steelers pact awaits). But Sean Payton‘s team is 6-5 and holds a, per FPI, 50.3% chance of making the playoffs.
Although the Broncos kept costs low and also moved on from Justin Simmons and Jerry Jeudy, they resisted Courtland Suttontrade offers — including a third-rounder from the 49ers in August — and assembled an interesting roster around No. 12 overall pick Bo Nix. The Oregon alum’s progress defines Denver’s season, as the team appears close to identifying a surefire long-term quarterback. The franchise has not seen a QB start more than four seasons since John Elway, amplifying the interest in Nix’s sudden entrance into the Offensive Rookie of the Year race, but Vance Joseph‘s defense has proven better than expected.
Extending Patrick Surtain in September and payingJonathon Cooper just before trading Baron Browning, Denver sits third in scoring defense and third in yardage. The team leads the NFL with 39 sacks. This has given Nix important support during his maiden NFL voyage.
Defense has conversely burned the 4-7 Bengals, who are squandering MVP-caliber work from Joe Burrow. Back from a season-ending wrist injury, Burrow has thrown an NFL-most 27 touchdown passes (compared to four interceptions) and has done so despite franchise-tagged wideout Tee Higgins missing five games. The Bengals are not expected to pay Higgins, with a 2025 tag-and-trade perhaps all that is left on the contract front between the parties after no substantial talks have taken place since early 2023, but Ja’Marr Chase‘s extension price — a matter tabled to 2025 — will rise coming out of this season.
Chase’s 1,056 yards pace the NFL by more than 100. A defense that had been solid during the team’s 2021 and ’22 seasons has fallen off. Cincinnati augmented its defense by adding Sheldon Rankins and Geno Stone while reacquiring Vonn Bell, but Lou Anarumo‘s unit ranks 28th. FPI gives the Bengals a 14.8% chance to make the playoffs. While this is almost definitely the highest-ceiling team left on the AFC’s fringe, a team that entered the year with Super Bowl aspirations in the expected Burrow-Chase-Higgins trio’s final act together runs the risk of missing the postseason entirely.
Sitting at 4-6, the Dolphins carry a 13.6% qualification chance, per FPI. Mike McDaniel‘s team is here largely due to Tua Tagovailoa‘s concussion-driven IR stay; the Dolphins went 1-3 without their recently extended starter. Tagovailoa’s absence reduced an offense that had led the NFL in yardage last season to one of the league’s worst.
Even as Tagovailoa has returned, neither Tyreek Hill nor Jaylen Waddle has taken off. The Dolphins paid both this offseason, reworking Hill’s contract and extending Waddle in a deal that delivered the younger WR a better guarantee than Hill received via his 2022 extension. Through 10 games, Waddle is at 404 yards. Hill, who topped 1,700 in each of his two full Dolphins slates, has accumulated just 523.
As Miami’s elite wideout tandem will need to heat up soon for the team to have a chance at a third straight playoff berth — something the club has not accomplished since a five-year run from 1997-2001 — its defense is again without Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb. Phillips suffered a season-ending knee injury, while Chubb has not recovered from the ACL tear that ended his 2023 season on New Year’s Eve. No Dolphin has more than four sacks or eight QB hits, with 38-year-old Calais Campbell — whom the Dolphins nearly traded back to the Ravens at the deadline — proving valuable in a four-sack start in his Miami return.
The Colts are 5-6, and FPI gives them the second-best odds (34.2%) of this bunch. Quarterback play, of course, has defined Indianapolis’ season. The team’s about-face withAnthony Richardson reminds came after a historically early benching involving a top-five pick, as the 2023 fourth overall choice had started only 10 games when benched.
Still, Richardson’s accuracy problems threaten to derail the Colts, who had gone to Joe Flacco in an attempt to better position themselves for a playoff push. After Flacco lost the ensuing two starts, Richardson is back. While the raw prospect looked better in his return start, he still carries a 48.5% completion rate. Only six QBs who have attempted at least 200 passes have finished south of 50% in a season this century.
GM Chris Ballard mostly just paid to keep his core together this offseason, though waiver claim Samuel Womack has helped a depleted boundary cornerback group. The Colts rank both 19th in scoring and points allowed, and while other components on this roster obviously matter, Richardson’s development still overshadows their season’s second half. That represents perhaps the biggest X-factor among this middle-class AFC glut.
Assuming the Chargers stay afloat and the Steelers and Ravens do not collapse, who do you think will claim the conference’s final spot in the seven-team field? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on the race in the comments section.
Kendall Lammcontemplated 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.”
Chubb has not practiced this season. The former top-five pick has been rehabbing an ACL tear sustained late in a blowout loss to the Ravens in Week 17 of last season. ACL recoveries are different, of course, but nine- to 12-month timetables regularly form for players in recovery. As of October, no timetable was in place for Chubb’s debut. Chubb is nearing 11 months since his New Year’s Eve injury, and time is obviously running out for the 2022 trade pickup to rejoin the Dolphins.
