Miami Dolphins fans had plenty to chew on after Sunday’s “final” roster cutdown, even if that word turned out to be a little generous once the waiver wire started moving.
The biggest theme running through the reactions was simple: the quarterback room drew a lot of attention. Plenty of fans were stunned by Quinn Ewers’ rough preseason, and several said they were puzzled by the team’s decision-making behind him.
One fan said they were surprised by the Ewers trade for a 6th rounder in 28 and called the move “addition by subtraction” after the arrival of Kyle McCord. That same fan pointed to McCord’s 2024 ACC yardage record, set while beating out D.
Watson’s 2016 mark, and said the gap between McCord and Ewers felt significant. Others were just as blunt, with one fan saying Ewers was among the players they were relieved to see go, and another calling Cam Miller’s departure a welcome one as well.
There was also confusion over how the Dolphins handled the backfield. Bull Pupp said they seemed unsure about the running back decisions, while another fan pointed out the team kept D.J.
Herman at fullback even though he is a linebacker working toward becoming a blocking fullback. That same fan noted that Wright and Gordon have not been especially impressive and are injured, while Achane has had injury issues in the past and cannot carry the entire load on his own.
Another comment suggested the team may have tried to trade one of its running backs, only to find no market.
Not everyone was focused on the quarterback shuffle. MiamiItaliano said Major Burns was the most surprising cut, adding that they expected the Dolphins to keep four safeties on the roster.
They also noted that Kyle Louis now looks like a player who will move back and forth between linebacker and strong safety. On the other side of the ledger, Phoenix6 said linebacker Dotson was the most surprising departure, especially since he had started for two years.
But that fan also said the contract situation and the rise of Jacob “the ‘stache” Rodriguez made the move easier to understand.
Depth was another major concern, especially up front. bringbackthewhalers said the biggest worry is along the offensive line, and suggested the Dolphins should take a look at Evan Neal as an interior offensive lineman. The thought there was that a fresh coaching staff could unlock something better after a rough start in New York. That fan also said they do not have much faith in the backup offensive line, and pointed out that Achane had some strong games last year in Miami’s 6 OL sets.
A few fans were already looking ahead to possible waiver claims. Lefty5150 said TD looked good Friday, as did Burns, and also floated Jarquez as a player they would have preferred to keep over Ollie or Jaylen at running back.
Gllmiaspr said Ewers was the most puzzling cut, arguing that the preseason opener was hard to judge because the backup offensive linemen were so bad. In that fan’s view, Ewers showed enough last year to look like a future starter or at least a competent backup.
That same fan said if Gronowski is not re-signed to the practice squad, then Altmeyer should be signed.
Dolfanjoe kept the bigger picture in view, saying this season is about finding talent and getting better now, with wins coming later. Another fan framed the roster math in practical terms, noting the need to save money, the cost of poaching players, and the likelihood that one of the seven wide receivers will be cut once waivers run through.
So while the fan base did not land on one clean answer, the reaction to the Dolphins’ cuts was clear enough: the quarterback moves drew the loudest reactions, the running back situation still looks unsettled, and the offensive line depth remains a real source of unease.
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Dolphins Take Another Flier On Two Familiar Draft Names
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For a roster that is always searching for useful depth up front, the moves make sense as a low-risk way to widen the pool. Miami also moved on from quarterback Mark Gronowski to make room, a reminder that practice-squad churn is part of the weekly business as the Dolphins keep sorting through familiar names and trying to find help wherever it might be hiding. [Read more 🡒]