Keeping Track of Former Dolphins Players Comings and Goings (And Who's Still Looking)

We're now only days away from the massive roster cuts around the NFL and a half-dozen players who saw action for the Miami Dolphins still are looking for a team.

Wide receiver Tahj Washington isn't one of them, however, after the Dolphins' 2024 seventh-round pick quickly found himself a new team after Miami waived him. Washington signed Thursday with the Philadelphia Eagles, one day before their preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Dolphins waived Washington this week after he failed to make an impact, replacing him on the roster with fellow wide receiver Ryan Miller off waivers from the New York Giants.

Tight end Jonnu Smith didn't play for the Dolphins in 2025, but he did make a big impact for the team the previous year wen he set franchise records for tight ends for receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches.

Smith, coming off a disappointing season with the Pittsburgh Steelers following the trade involving Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick, agreed to terms with the Green Bay Packers.

Smith, who turned 31 last Saturday, will give Green Bay a second tight end to team up with Tyler Kraft. His age and the fact the Dolphins traded him instead of giving him a contract extension last year made a return to South Florida (where he played collegiately at Florida International University) always like a long shot.

Washington became the second player the Dolphins waived this summer who signed with a new team. He followed rookie running back Anthony Hankerson, who since has been waived by the Seattle Seahawks and is planning on returning for another college season.

THE REMAINING UNEMPLOYED 2025 DOLPHINS

The list of veterans who played for the Dolphins (at least one regular season appearance) and are still looking for a team is headlined, of course, by wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who continues to work his way back from the catastrophic knee injury he sustained in the Week 4 Monday night game last season.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus indicated last week he didn't anticipate Hill signing with any team before the start of the regular season, which seemed like kind of a given all along given the severity of the injury. In fact, it's always felt like Hill missing the entire season was way more likely than him playing the entire season.

Three other of those veterans also ended last season on injured reserve — running back Alexander Mattison, offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg and guard James Daniels.

Of those three, Mattison is the only one to get a free agent visit or tryout this summer, the Houston Texans giving Mattison a look a few weeks ago.

The other 2025 Dolphins players without a team are WR Dee Eskridge and DT Benito Jones, who recently was released by the Las Vegas Raiders.

As a reminder, vested veterans (those with at least four years of service) have their contract fully guaranteed for the whole season if they're on the roster in Week 1, which leads teams often to wait until the season opener to sign a veteran.

Daniels, of course, is an interesting case study here. He hasn't played since sustaining a triceps injury in the 2025 season opener that then-coach Mike McDaniel first indicated would sideline him about the amount of time a player needs to be on IR, specifically four games. Instead, Daniels stayed on IR the entire season.

OTHER DOLPHINS MOVES

While on the subject of injured reserve, the Dolphins released guard James Ester off IR with an injury settlement Thursday.

He became the fifth player to get an injury settlement off IR, making the player eligible to sign with any other team immediately.

The other four are offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer, DB Omar Brown, CB Ethan Robinson and rookie edge Mason Rieger.

The Dolphins' injured reserve list currently includes only two players, rookie free agent defensive tackle Rene Konga and tackle Carter Warren. Konga signed the standard three-year contract as a UDFA, so he should be back in 2027; Warren was on a one-year contract.

THE DOLPHINS' AUGUST TRANSACTIONS

August 5 — Claimed TE Jeremiah Franklin off waivers from New England ... signed DL Fatorma Mulbah ... waived EDGE Seth Coleman-Lyles ... placed DL Rene Konga on injured reserve

August 7 — Signed S Tanner Wall ... claimed CB Ahmari Harvey off waivers from Pittsburgh ... waived QB Mark Gronowski ... waived/injured S Omar Brown

August 10 — Acquired G/T Caedan Wallace and a 2029 7th-round pick from New England for a 2028 6th-round pick ... signed CB Nick McCloud ... placed K Zane Gonzalez on IR ... waived RB Anthony Hankerson

August 16 — Signed QB Mark Gronowski and LB Cam Riley ... placed G/T Jamaree Salyer on IR ... waived/injured CB Ethan Robinson

August 17 — Activated WR Chris Bell off the Non-Football Injury list ... signed DL Cam Rice ... waived S Tanner Wall

August 18 — Signed EDGE Seth Coleman-Lyles ... waived/injured EDGE Mason Rieger

August 21 — Signed LB Stephen Dix Jr. ... waived/injured G James Ester

August 22 — Claimed CB Jai'Onte' McMillan off waivers from Indianapolis ... released CB Nick McCloud

August 24 — Signed LB Jehaim Thomas and TE Ethan Conner ... waived C Jim Bonifas and CB Ahmari Harvey

August 25 — Claimed WR Ryan Miller off waivers from the N.Y. Giants ... waived WR Tahj Washington

August 26 — Signed RB Coleman Bennett ... waived/injured TE Cole Turner

August 27 — Acquired RB Jarquez Hunter from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for WR Tutu Atwell, pending physicals

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