Dolphins Roster Moves Tracker: The Final Moves to 53
The Miami Dolphins officially announced their moves to get down to the roster limit Tuesday, though we would remind everyone that this is the initial 53-man roster with more changes coming this week.
Along with the two trades that sent offensive lineman Dan Feeney to the Chicago Bears for a 2024 sixth-round pick and the one that sent cornerback Noah Igbinoghene to the Dallas Cowboys for fellow cornerback Kelvin Joseph.
In addition, the Dolphins officially released nine veterans: CB Justin Bethel, WR Robbie Chosen, RB Myles Gaskin, DT Da'Shawn Hand, TE Tyler Kroft, CB Parry Nickerson, T Cedric Ogbuehi, DB Jamal Perry and LB Malik Reed.
Nine other players were waived: CB Ethan Bonner, TE Tanner Conner, LB Cameron Goode, T Ryan Hayes, TE Elijah Higgins, WR Braylon Sanders, CB Bryce Thompson, OL Alama Uluave and CB Trill Williams.
Miami reached an injury settlement with rookie WR Daewood Davis; placed CB Nik Needham on Reserve/PUP; and placed DB Keion Crossen and TE Eric Saubert.
Because they weren't on the initial 53-man roster, Crossen and Saubert will be ineligible to play for the Dolphins in 2023 unless they end up being released off IR with an injury settlement, at which time they'd be able to sign with any team in the NFL (though they'd have to sit out three games if they re-signed with the Dolphins plus the number of games equivalent to the settlement).
Needham will have to sit out the first four games of the regular season because he's on Reserve/PUP.
The players waived can be claimed by Wednesday at noon and if they go unclaimed they could be re-signed to the roster or the practice squad.
The players released are not subject to waivers and can sign with any team at any time.
HIGGINS WAIVED
At least one of the Miami Dolphins' 2023 draft picks won't be on the initial 53-layer roster.
The team will be waiving sixth-round pick Elijah Higgins, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Higgins was drafted with the idea he could transition from college wide receiver to NFL tight end, didn't do anything in training camp or the preseason to separate himself from other young tight ends on the roster like Tanner Conner or rookie free agent Julian Hill.
Higgins certainly looms as a strong possibility for the practice squad so the Dolphins can continue working with him. He had two catches for 36 yards in the preseason.
The other three Dolphins draft picks were second-round cornerback Cam Smith, third-round running back De'Von Achane and seventh-round offensive lineman Ryan Hayes.
Based on multiple reports, the Dolphins also will be releasing veteran defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand and waiving linebacker Cameron Goode and rookie cornerback Ethan Bonner.
MYLES GASKIN RELEASED
With depth at the running back position, the Miami Dolphins made a noteworthy move at the position Tuesday morning as the Jonathan Taylor watch continues.
The team released four-year veteran Myles Gaskin, who had been with the Dolphins since arriving as a seventh-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Gaskin led the team in rushing in both 2020 and 2021 before falling to fourth on the depth chart last season. Perhaps surprisingly, Gaskin decided to re-sign with the Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent despite the team also re-signing the other three running backs ahead of him in 2022 — Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed.
As a vested veteran, Gaskin will not be going through waivers and can sign with any team at any time.
It's also not out of the question the Dolphins could bring him back to the practice squad.
Gaskin's release left five running backs on the roster: Mostert, Wilson, Ahmed, rookie third-round pick De'Von Achane and rookie free agent Chris Brooks.
The Dolphins also released veteran DB Jamal Perry, according to Matt Lombardo of Fan Buzz.
MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE
The Miami Dolphins made official their wave of roster moves Monday, and their press release included the name of 14 players waived.
It did not include any mention of veteran linebacker Malik Reed, who ESPN earlier reported had been released.
The Dolphins' moves included three veterans released and 11 young players waived.
The three released, and now free to sign with any other team, are tackle Geron Christian, wide receiver Keke Coutee and linebacker A.J. Johnson.
Those waived were LB Mitchell Agude, QB James Blackman, DT Josiah Bronson, DE Randy Charlton, WR Chris Coleman, LB Aubrey Miller II, LB Garrett Nelson, S Keidron Smith, T James Tunstall, DT Jaylen Twyman and DT Jamal Woods.
The Dolphins could wind up signing some of those players released to their practice squad, which again will feature 16 players. Teams can have as many as six veterans of any NFL experience or 10 players with two or more accrued seasons.
THE DOLPHINS ROSTER BY POSITION
Here's a look at the Dolphins roster as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, based on transactions announced by the team or reported by multiple outlets:
Quarterbacks (3) — Tua Tagovailoa, Mike White, Skylar Thompson
Running backs (5) — Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Salvon Ahmed, De'Von Achane (R), Chris Brooks (R)
Wide receivers (9) — Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Erik Ezukanma, Robbie Chosen, River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Daewon Davis (R)
Tight ends/fullback (7) — FB Alec Ingold, Durham Smythe, Eric Saubert, Tyler Kroft, Tanner Conner, Elijah Higgins (R), Julian Hill (R)
Offensive linemen (14) — Terron Armstead, Connor Williams, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Liam Eichenberg, Isaiah Wynn, Dan Feeney, Kendall Lamm, Lester Cotton, Robert Jones, Cedric Ogbuehi, Kion Smith, Ryan Hayes (R), Alama Uluave (R)
Edge defenders (5) — Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Emmanuel Ogbah, Andrew Van Ginkel, Cameron Goode
Defensive linemen (6) — Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis, Da'Shawn Hand, Brandon Pili (R), Randy Charlton (R)
Linebackers (4) — Jerome Baker, David Long Jr., Duke Riley, Channing Tindall
Cornerbacks (11) — Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey, Kader Kohou, Cam Smith (R), Noah Igbinoghene, Eli Apple, Justin Bethel, Bryce Thompson, Ethan Bonner (R), Nik Needham, Parry Nickerson
Safeties (6) — Jevon Holland, DeShon Elliott, Brandon Jones, Elijah Campbell, Verone McKinley III, Trill Williams
Specialists (3) — Jason Sanders, Jake Bailey, Blake Ferguson
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