The Miami Dolphins kept hunting for value on the waiver wire and came up with another former third-round pick, landing guard Christian Haynes from the Seattle Seahawks.
To make the move work, Miami waived rookie sixth-round pick DJ Campbell from the 53-man roster.
Haynes has already been around the league enough to look like a depth piece with some real experience. He played in all seven of Seattle’s games this season and started five of them, then got waived after the Seahawks added eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson this week in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Over his first two NFL seasons, Haynes appeared in 24 games as a backup.
The Dolphins weren’t the only team interested. The Baltimore Ravens had announced earlier Wednesday that they picked Haynes up on waivers, but Miami had the better claim because of its worse record. After the third week of the regular season, league standings decide waiver priority when multiple teams want the same player.
Haynes entered the NFL as the 81st overall pick in the 2024 draft, a third-round selection out of UConn. His NFL.com scouting report painted him as a sturdy, smart blocker who could stick in the league: "Four-year starter and team captain who is sturdy at the point of attack.
Haynes plays with football intelligence and sees every snap as a mandate to move opponents and finish blocks. His draft slotting could be affected by a lack of length and being limited to one position, but his determined playing style counters those factors.
He’s not overly rangy but wipes out targets on pulling blocks and is capable in space, and in pass protection. The hand usage can get sloppy, allowing opponents to slip away from him, and he has a tendency to do too much grabbing.
All things considered, he might outplay his draft slotting and become a solid NFL starter."
He now slots into a Dolphins backup offensive line group that includes center Andrew Meyer, guard Jarrett Kingston, guard/tackle Caedan Wallace and tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick.
Where Haynes lands in the 10-man group will depend on what he shows in practice and how quickly he absorbs the offense.
Campbell is now the second of Miami’s 13 draft picks to be cut from the 53-man roster, following seventh-rounder Max Llewellyn.
Like Llewellyn, Campbell could be brought back to the practice squad if he clears waivers, though the Dolphins are willing to take that risk. Campbell and Godrick, who was claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs, had been inactive every game this season as the team’s clear ninth and 10th offensive linemen.
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