Dolphins Kicking Battle Just Took A Turn Fans Didnt Expect

With kicker Zane Gonzalez sidelined by an injury, the Miami Dolphins reshuffle their roster with strategic new signings and releases.

The Miami Dolphins made a trio of roster moves on Monday, headlined by placing kicker Zane Gonzalez on injured reserve.

Along with the IR move, Miami signed cornerback Nick McCloud and waived running back Anthony Hankerson.

Gonzalez, who had been competing with Riley Patterson for the starting kicker job, cannot return from injured reserve for the Dolphins. If he is going to play again this season, he would have to be released with a settlement, and Miami would not be able to re-sign him until that settlement runs out.

The move closes another short chapter in Gonzalez’s long NFL journey. The 31-year-old entered the league as a seventh-round pick by the Browns in 2017 and has bounced around ever since. Cleveland waived him early in the 2018 season, and the Cardinals later added him to their practice squad before promoting him to the active roster that year.

Arizona kept him on a one-year restricted tender in 2020 worth $3.27 million, and Gonzalez reached unrestricted free agency for the first time in 2021 before signing a one-year deal with the Lions. Detroit moved on after the preseason, then brought him back to the practice squad before Carolina signed him to its active roster.

Carolina later gave Gonzalez a two-year extension in 2022, but he was traded to the 49ers in March 2023. His time there ended after he was placed on injured reserve following the preseason and then released in September.

Gonzalez landed on Washington’s practice squad in November and was signed to the active roster in December after being elevated three times. Washington then brought him back on a one-year deal for 2025, only to cut him before the season started.

He signed with Atlanta in November 2025 and stayed with the Falcons through the rest of that season. In 2025, Gonzalez played in nine games and connected on 19 of 22 field goal attempts, while making 17 of 18 extra-point tries.

Miami signed him to a one-year deal for the 2026 season.

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