What to Know About the Dolphins' Seven (!!) Waiver Pick-Ups

After setting their initial 53-man roster Sunday, the Miami Dolphins weren’t done making moves as they continued adjusting the roster ahead of the regular season.

Miami claimed seven players off waivers Monday, a list headlined by Denver Broncos 2025 fifth-round pick tight end Justin Joly.

The Dolphins also added former Jets quarterback Brady Cook, former Patriots defensive back Marcellas Dial Jr., former Broncos defensive back Reese Taylor, former Cowboys safety Julius Wood, former Chiefs offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick and former Texans offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston.

Here’s what to know about the Dolphins’ newest additions.

Justin Joly offers the most intriguing potential

Just four months after Joly being selected by Denver in the fifth round, the Broncos waived the N.C. State product during final cuts.

Joly earned first-team All-ACC honors last season after catching 49 passes and tied a single-season program record while leading the team with seven receiving touchdowns.

Competing against Evan Engram and Adam Trautman, two tight ends with starting experience, and Dallen Bentley, another 2026 draftee, Joly found himself as the odd man out in the tight end room.

In Denver’s preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings, Joly caught an 88-yard touchdown pass and finished the preseason with five receptions for 105 yards.

Justin Joly stans will always have this memory pic.twitter.com/AnTjezvzuw https://t.co/SXyoME1WA2
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 30, 2026

Now in a more inexperienced tight end room with less established competition, Joly’s athleticism and ability after the catch makes him an appealing receiving option at the position.

Miami reshuffles the backup quarterback room

The Dolphins added Cook just one day after acquiring Kyle McCord from the Green Bay Packers and trading Quinn Ewers to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As a rookie, Cook started four games for the New York Jets last season, losing all four games while throwing for 739 yards, two touchdowns and seven interceptions. One of those starts came against Miami, when he completed 14 of 30 passes for 163 yards and two interceptions.

This was Cook's NFL.com's draft scouting report from analyst Lance Zierlein: "Tantalizing prospect thanks to his athleticism and arm talent but the more I studied, the more doubt creeped in. Cook played with a better command of the offense in 2023, which led to better in-game rhythm and results. He can make every NFL throw but struggles to make them with consistent timing and accuracy. Cook needs to improve his eye discipline to keep windows open and safeties out of his business. He’s an average decision-maker and field-reader who defaults to unsound passing platforms when he feels pressure. He has the size and mobility to make plays as a scrambler and with designed runs. Cook’s physical traits and athletic ability are worth a discussion as a developmental prospect."

During the preseason, Miami’s lack of depth at quarterback was apparent, with a noticeable drop-off once Malik Willis stepped out of the game against Washington.

For a franchise that has repeatedly had to turn to backup quarterbacks because of injuries in recent years, that presented a legitimate concern. Adding Cook, along with the trade for Kyle McCord, gives Miami a fresh set of backups behind Willis.

Dolphins add two more options up front

Two of Miami’s seven claims were offensive linemen.

Godrick, a 6-foot-5 tackle who entered the league through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program in 2022, appeared in four games for Kansas City last season and started the final three.

Through his three starts, Pro Football Focus graded him much better in pass protection, where he earned a 65.6 grade.

His run blocking wasn’t nearly as serviceable, highlighted by a 38.2 grade against the Broncos and a 53.3 average across the three starts.

Kingston was selected by San Francisco in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and has experience playing both guard and tackle.

He appeared in two games last season, and saw action in seven games during the 2024 season.

Claiming both players gives Miami additional flexibility in a position room that has struggled with depth concerns.

Miami wasn’t pleased with its secondary depth

Nearly half of the Dolphins’ waiver claims came in the defensive backfield.

Dial was a sixth-round pick by New England in 2024 and appeared in all 17 games as a rookie before missing last season with a torn ACL.

Taylor has spent time with Kansas City and Denver and has primarily contributed on special teams, while Wood appeared in nine games for Tennessee in 2024 and also played most of his snaps on special teams.

For a young and inexperienced unit, the three additions give Miami more seasoned depth while also adding several potential special-teams contributors.

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