The Miami Dolphins kept digging for depth on Monday, and this time the answer came from Cincinnati’s practice squad.
According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, Miami signed linebacker Shaka Heyward, filling one of the two roster openings the team created by placing running back De'Von Achane on injured reserve and waiving defensive lineman Keith Cooper.
Heyward arrives as a three-year NFL veteran out of Duke who has played in 18 regular-season games. Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent, he has logged 349 snaps in regular season action, with only 48 coming on defense. The rest of his work has mostly come in a role that points to how Miami is likely to use him: special teams.
That fits the current shape of the Dolphins’ linebacker room. Heyward becomes the fifth linebacker on the 53-man roster, joining Jordyn Brooks, rookie Jacob Rodriguez, Willie Gay Jr. and Jackson Woodard.
One of those 18 NFL appearances came against Miami last December, and Heyward made the most of it. In Cincinnati’s 45-21 win, he posted a career-high five tackles while playing just 13 defensive snaps.
At Duke, Heyward built a résumé that caught attention before he ever got to the league. Over his final four seasons, he piled up 32.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions. He also showed off good speed for his size, clocking a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash at the 2023 combine.
He’s got some notable football bloodlines, too. Heyward is the cousin of longtime Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward and fullback Connor Heyward, who the Dolphins saw in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. His uncle was the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein described him this way before the draft: "Heyward is a long-armed run-and-hit linebacker who will not be cheated as a wrap-up tackler. He’s eager to find the action but can be inconsistent recognizing play development and getting into proper positioning, whether he’s a run defender or in coverage. Teams will like the body type and physicality that are part of the package, and being a plus special teams performer can only help his cause."
Miami’s move came amid a steady stream of roster shuffling in recent weeks. On September 1, the Dolphins signed ILB Liam Anderson, EDGE Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Amari Gainer, DL Jordan Miller, WR Will Sheppard, CB Jaylin Simpson, DL Mazi Smith and TE Tre Watson to the practice squad, while releasing QB Mark Gronowski and later adding CB Ethan Bonner and EDGE Max Llewellyn before cutting TE Jeremiah Franklin and ILB Cam Riley.
The changes kept coming. On September 12, Miami elevated Clelin Ferrell for the Week 1 game against the Raiders.
On September 16, the team placed S Kyle Louis on injured reserve, signed Jaylin Simpson to the active roster and added LS Cal Adomitis to the practice squad. Three days later, LB Ronnie Harrison Jr. went on injured reserve, Liam Anderson moved to the active roster, and Clelin Ferrell and Max Llewellyn were elevated for the Week 2 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Dolphins then signed EDGE Andre Jones Jr. off the Buffalo Bills practice squad and brought in LS Luke Basso on September 22. Anderson returned to the practice squad on September 23, WR AJ Henning was added on September 24 and Luke Basson was released. On September 26, Anderson and Ferrell were elevated again for the Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Monday’s transaction log closed with the moves that opened the door for Heyward: Achane to injured reserve, Keith Cooper Jr. waived, and Clelin Ferrell and Jordan Miller released from the practice squad.
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