What to Make of the Dolphins Moves Ahead of the Week 2 Game at San Francisco

The Miami Dolphins made moves involving their active roster in addition to two practice squad elevations

Miami Dolphins linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. (56) works during practice at Baptist Health Training Complex. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Chop Robinson sidelined for the Miami Dolphins' Week 2 game at San Francisco, the two most practical options to take his place with an elevation from the practice squad were veteran Clelin Ferrell and rookie seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn.

In the end, the Dolphins decided to put them both on the game-day roster.

But those weren't the only moves the Dolphins made Saturday because they also had a transaction involving the 53-man roster.

Miami placed linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. on injured reserve and signed linebacker Liam Anderson from the practice squad to the active roster.

The one move the Dolphins didn't make Saturday was elevating long-snapper Cal Adomitis from the practice squad, a signal that Tucker Addington will be ready to go after being listed as questionable on the final injury report of the week because of a shoulder injury he sustained in the season opener.

DOLPHINS LOOKING FOR AN EDGE

This will be a second elevation in two games for Ferrell, while Llewellyn now is in line to make his NFL debut after making the initial 53-man roster but getting waived the next day when the Dolphins needed to make room after picking up seven players off waivers.

The Dolphins, really, are looking for anybody to make an impact from the edge defender spot after a disappointing outing from the group in the Week 1 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Ferrell, who played last season and also in 2023 with the 49ers, and Llewelly will join Josh Uche, Robert Beal Jr. and Malik Herring on the edge, with Zeek Biggers always an option to slide down from his defensive tackle spot.

The switch from Harrison to Anderson basically is a special teams swap, with Harrison played exclusively in that aspect of the game against the Raiders.

Anderson, who was signed to the practice squad September 1, has played four NFL regular season games in his career, all with the Indianapolis Colts and his 48 snaps in those games in 2023 and 2024 all were on special teams.

The switch from Harrison to Anderson is yet another example of the way the Dolphins have operated and will continue to operate in 2026, basically using young players looking to jump-start or revive their career as opposed to going after higher-profile veterans who happen to still be available.

Harrison becomes the fourth Dolphins player on injured reserve with the possibility of returning in 2026, though the team doesn't have to designate to return at this time.

Rookie safety Kyle Louis also was placed on injured reserve earlier this week under the same parameters.

The Dolphins did use two of their allotted eight IR-return designations on the day of the roster cutdown to the 53-player limit on rookie linebacker Trey Moore and defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.