Breaking Down the Dolphins' Waiver Claim and More Tryouts

The Miami Dolphins have picked up a player very familiar with head coach Jeff Hafley

New England Patriots tight end Jeremiah Franklin makes a catch during the New England Patriots rookie camp at Gillette Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On another day when they were busy working out young players, the Miami Dolphins also made a series of roster moves.

The team claimed tight end Jeremiah Franklin off waivers Wednesday, along with announcing the signing of defensive tackle Fatorma Mulbah that had been reported earlier in the day.

To make room on the 53-man roster, the Dolphins predictably placed rookie defensive tackle Rene Konga on injured reserve and waived edge defender Seth Coleman-Lyles. The latter added Lyles to his last name just recently.

Additionally, the teams had a tryout for six more players after hosting five Tuesday, and this latest group incouded Mulbah. The others were tight end Eni Falayi from Wake Forest, center Weylin Lapuaho from Brigham Young, tackle James Milovale from Hawaii, defensive tackle Martez Poynter from Toledo, and NT Jaquelin Roy from LSU.

The only one of the group with NFL experience is Roy, who played 18 games with two starts with the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots in 2023-24 after entering the NFL as a fifth-round pick in 2023.

THE BOOK ON FRANKLIN

While we provided the lowdown on Mulbah earlier Wednesday, Franklin was a four-year player at Boston College, where he played for two seasons under new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley.

Franklin's best season at BC came in 2025 when he had 49 catches for 506 yards and two touchdowns. He had 12 catches and one touchdown in 2023 in Hafley's second of two seasons as BC head coach before he moved back to the NFL to became defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers on his way to Miami.

At 6-3, 225, Franklin is more of an H-back type than a pure tight end, as discussed in his NFL.com draft profile.

"H-back prospect who lacks important athletic traits," draft analyst Lance Zeirlein wrote. "Franklin does his part in the run game, giving effort and blocking with decent technique. A lack of good muscle mass and length might make him better suited for work as a move blocker in the NFL. He doesn’t uncover with speed, quickness or route acumen and has a low success rate on contested catches."

TRICKY TIGHT END SITUATION

The Dolphins already had five tight ends on the roster, plus fullback D.J. Herman, but injuries have started to creep up at that position.

Greg Dulcich missed the past three practices with an undisclosed injury that Hafley said likely would keep him out until the team got to Washington next week for a joint practice and their preseason opener.

Free agent pick-up Ben Sims then left practice early Tuesday, walking off the field with a trainer because of an undisclosed issue.

The other tight ends are rookie draft picks Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore, along with Cole Turner.

FORMER DOLPHINS TRYING OUT

The San Francisco 49ers, who already signed 2025 Dolphins Jack Jones and Ashtyn Davis in the offseason, took a look at two more former Miami players Wednesday, offensive linemen Kion Smith and Braeden Daniels.

The Las Vegas Raiders, who the Dolphins will face in their regular season opener September 13, signed former Miami tight end Chris Myarick and waived fellow tight end Zack Kuntz, who the Dolphins signed and waived in the offseason.