The Miami Dolphins are taking a low-cost swing on a name that once carried plenty of draft-night shine.
With veterans set to report on Tuesday, Miami added former first-round edge rusher Clelin Ferrell, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and waived defensive lineman Kahlil Saunders in the corresponding move. The Dolphins have been searching for more reliable depth all offseason, and the edge group in particular has been a clear weak spot.
Ferrell entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, going to the Raiders. He spent four seasons in Las Vegas, including two as a starter, before moving on to the 49ers in 2023. After that came a year with Washington, then a split season in 2025 between the Chargers and another stint with San Francisco.
The résumé comes with pedigree, but the production has never matched the billing. Ferrell has 21 sacks and 184 tackles across seven seasons, a line that says a lot about why he’s now available as a depth addition rather than a centerpiece.
For Miami, the fit is easy to understand. The Dolphins’ edge room is thin, and the team listed Ferrell as a defensive end, making him the only player on the roster with that designation. At the top of the group are Chop Robinson, David Ojabo, and Josh Uche, while the Dolphins also drafted Max Llwellyn and Trey Moore and added undrafted free agent Mason Reiger.
That leaves plenty of competition, and not nearly enough certainty. Cameron Goode, one of the few remaining Chris Grier draft picks on the roster, was already in a precarious spot after being selected in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. Ferrell’s arrival only tightens the squeeze.
The contract details are not known yet, but the expectation is that it will be a one-year deal with minimal guaranteed money. In other words, Miami is betting on a player whose name still carries more weight than his recent play. It’s a move with little downside, even if the upside is just as hard to see.
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