Dolphins Just Put Two Fringe Roster Battles In A New Light

In a surprise roster move, the Dolphins part ways with seasoned kicker Riley Patterson and young cornerback Storm Duck, reshuffling their lineup for the season ahead.

The Dolphins are moving on from two players, with veteran kicker Riley Patterson set to be released and cornerback Storm Duck also being let go from the PUP list.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Patterson’s release, while Barry Jackson said Miami is also parting ways with Duck.

Patterson’s NFL path has been anything but straight. The 27-year-old went undrafted out of Memphis in 2021, signed with the Vikings as a rookie, and was waived after the preseason. New England then brought him onto its practice squad before Detroit added him to the active roster in late November.

His time with the Lions didn’t last long into the next year. Detroit waived him at the start of the 2022 season, and the Jaguars claimed him.

Jacksonville later re-signed him as an exclusive rights free agent, then dealt him to the Lions in May 2023. Patterson handled most of Detroit’s kicking duties that season before getting released and landing with the Browns as an injury replacement.

The carousel kept spinning after that. Jacksonville signed Patterson to a futures contract this offseason, waived him in July, and he was claimed by Washington.

The Commanders moved on in August. Patterson also had stints with the Jets, Falcons and Browns, and he returned to the Falcons’ active roster off Cleveland’s practice squad in December 2024.

Miami then picked him up on the practice squad after roster cutdowns last year, and Patterson re-signed with the Dolphins for the 2026 season.

This year, he has played in five games for Miami, hitting seven of nine field-goal tries and five of six extra points.

Duck, 25, joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville after the 2024 NFL Draft. He signed a three-year, $2,850,000 deal and is set to earn a base salary of $1,075,000 in 2026.

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