Breaking Down the New Dolphins Numbers

Linebacker David Long Jr. and QB Skylar Thompson were among the Miami Dolphins players who switched numbers

Skylar Thompson / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins revealed their 2024 jersey numbers, featuring several changes for returning Dolphins, and the new digits for free agent newcomers, and, of course, rookies.

Dolphins players from last season who made a switch include linebacker David Long, Jr., who now will wear number 11. Former Dolphins wide receiver Cedrick Wilson, Jr. wore number 11 last season; Long will wear number 11, as he did in college at West Virginia.

Quarterback Skylar Thompson returns to his rookie year number of 19 after wearing 6 last season. The number 6 will now be worn by new Dolphins free agent linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. Walker was most recently with the Cleveland Browns and is sequentially moving in the right direction, wearing 4 in 2021 and 5 his last two seasons.

Other returning members of the Dolphins 2023 who will make a change include cornerback Ethan Bonner and long snapper Blake Ferguson. Bonner was an undrafted free agent and practice squad member who was elevated to the roster in Week 15 last season.

Formerly number 38, Bonner will now wear 27, and ex-number 44 Ferguson will put on his former collegiate number of 48. This is the long-snapper’s third number in the pros; he wore 50 as a rookie. This led to number 44 becoming available for the Dolphins' 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft, edge rusher Chop Robinson from Penn State. Before going through the rest of Robinson’s draft class, as well as the other rookies or minicamp invitees, the Miami veteran free agent signings are as follows.

New digits 🔢 pic.twitter.com/Kf0v5pEXb9

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 10, 2024

Recent free agent wide receiver signing Odell Beckham, Jr., will wear 3, which he represented on his last two teams, the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams. Robbie Chosen wore 3 last season for Miami and is now a free agent himself.

Another target Miami acquired was tight end Jonnu Smith, who will wear 9.  Wearing 81 at his previous three destinations, the longest-tenured offensive Dolphins player, fellow tight end Durham Smythe, will keep his digits.

Number 9 will now revert back to offense after linebacker Melvin Ingram wore it last season. Ingram is again a free agent, and former team cornerbacks Kelvin Joseph and Noah Igbinoghene once wore 9. The two were actually traded for each other in a Dallas Cowboys deal last summer.

Also added to Miami as a free agent is linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who is wearing 20, which was vacated with the departure of defensive back/special teamer Justin Bethel. Brooks wore 56 in Seattle but it is currently worn in Miami by fellow linebacker Quinton Bell.

In a clean transition in uniform colors only, new defensive backs Jordan Poyer and Kendall Fuller will keep their most recent numbers. Poyer will take 21, last worn in Miami last season by now Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott. Fuller will wear 29, last worn by former Dolphins safety Brandon Jones, now in Denver.

Cornerback Siran Neal retains his 33 now that Eli Apple is no longer in Miami, and free agent edge rusher Shaquil Barrett will return to the 58 he wore in Tampa Bay from 2019-2022. Connor Williams wore 58 last season for Miami, and the current free agent center’s football future is unknown at this point.

Free agent acquisition defensive lineman Neville Gallimore will wear 91, which was last worn by former Miami edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, who was released in February. Also released during the offseason was linebacker Jerome Baker, whose 55 will now be worn by center Aaron Brewer, retaining his 2022-2023 number from his last two seasons with the Tennessee Titans.

Veteran defensive end free agent Jonathan Harris will wear 98, which was Raekwon Davis’ number last season in Miami. Davis signed a free agent deal with the Indianapolis Colts this past offseason. Defensive tackle Isaiah Mack will wear 97.

Free agent defensive tackle Teair Tart will replace Christian Wilkins numerically, wearing 94. Making a return to Miami, defensive tackle Benito Jones was an undrafted free agent for Miami in 2020 and played last for the Detroit Lions, wearing 94. He will again wear 95 for Miami as he did as a rookie.

In a very interesting scenario, free agent defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon wore 54 in Carolina. That number, along with another noticeable one, has not been handed out since last worn. Nixon will switch to 90, which was seen on Jason Pierre-Paul last season in a brief appearance on the Miami roster.

Numbers 54 and 99 were last worn by Hall of Fame linebacker Zach Thomas and defensive end Jason Taylor, respectively, and possibly won't be worn again in Miami.

Additional free agent signings include tight end Jody Fortson Jr., who will wear 88 like he did his last two seasons in Kansas City, and offensive lineman Jack Driscoll, who will go from his Philadelphia 63 to Miami 75.

Future contract signee wide receiver Mathew Sexton will wear 87, and free agent linebacker Cam Brown will wear 47, as he did with the New York Giants.

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